4 months old

Court turned 4 months old on Christmas Eve.  He is at such a fun age – rolling around, smiling, laughing all the time, cooing, and watching our every move.  His favorite pastimes include drooling, watching Aiden, petting Bruno, and taking baths.  He is already so curious about this world!  When we took him to his 4 month check-up, he weighed in at 15 lbs 4 oz (60th percentile), 26 inches tall (90th percentile), and a 44cm head circumference (45th percentile).  So he’s pretty much a monster.   He wore one of Aiden’s outfits from last Christmas this year…that’s right…a 4 month old in a 12 month outfit!! He is so chubby that I have to put diaper rash cream in the fat rolls of his neck!!!  The chubbiness is adorable.  He is perfect in every way and I can’t imagine life without his smiling face and beautiful blue eyes in our family.

 

 

Santa versus the germs

For the first time since we’ve known each other, Scott and I took the boys to celebrate Christmas in Chapel Hill.  Everyone was really excited to see Aiden trash through the wrapping paper this Christmas and fully immerse himself in all of the goodies that Santa brought him.  However, Aiden woke up Christmas morning with a 102.9 fever and could not speak any words other than whining “Dada” and “No.”  When asked if he wanted to open presents, he whimpered “No”  repeatedly.  He spent the morning wrapped in a blanket on Scott’s lap and refused to move.  So the rest of us enjoyed watching Court kick and coo and giggle at his presents.  He LOVED all the paper, all the toys, and especially all the attention he got on his first Christmas.  His new favorite person is Aunt Kimmie who endlessly entertains him and who seems to have the same baby-whisperer effect that her mother has on Court.  So after a trip to Chapel Hill Pediatrics urgent care (where Aiden was diagnosed with strep throat) and a few doses of antibiotics and motrin, Aiden was on the mend.  After we got home on the day after Christmas, my parents and my brother’s family came to celebrate Christmas at our house.  Although he wasn’t feeling 100%, Aiden thoroughly enjoyed unwrapping his gifts and had a blast playing with family and his new toys.  And since he didn’t really get to enjoy any gifts Christmas morning, we’re slowly but surely making our way through each one – so Christmas keeps on coming in our house this year!

On Christmas Eve day, Pop let us and a bunch of family friends with kids ransack the Smith Center. They had low goals for the kids and everyone got to run out some energy. Court ran in place in the wrap!

Slam Dunk!

This is how Aiden spend his Christmas morning. Bruno loved every minute!

Court looking his best on Christmas Eve

"Twas the night before Christmas"

Court playing with his meerkat from Aunt Kimmie

Nap #1 on Aunt Kimmie

Nap #2 on Aunt Kimmie. Court had poor Kimmie pinned for the majority of Christmas Day!

Opening presents with The Wolford family on Monday evening.

Cousins! Aiden, Lindsay, Court, and Ryan.

Court trying on my new hat!

Aiden and Court's new wagon

Aiden's dream toy...a leaf blower. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Safety first Court! (Modeling Aiden's leaf blower safety goggles)

Even though Santa brought Aiden germs this year (is that even worse than coal?), we still had a wonderful Christmas.  We hope that you were able to spend Christmas with the little ones and big ones that you love just like we did.

Christmas countdown

Here are just a few more photos of us getting ready for Christmas. We hope that you all have a very Happy Christmas.  We have have been so blessed this year and have so many things to be thankful for.  We are so excited to see all the joy of Christmas through the eyes of our little boys. Happy Holidays!

"Tell me Froggie, what do you want for Christmas?"

"Cheeeeeeeeeeeeese"

Scott and Dave's youth group from church at their annual Christmas bash at the Money Pit.

 

Eating a cookie at the Christmas party at baby camp

 

Everyday when we pick up Aiden from baby camp, we ask him what he learned today. Everyday, he replies, "Miles and Tripp." His favorite friends - Miles is in the green and Tripp is in the blue sweater.

 

All of the parents got together and bought the class a new easel. The old one got broken and I may have an idea of how knowing our son! All of the kids helped open the presents. Aiden swung his arms so furiously while opening the packages that the other parents looked in awe and then he knocked a classmate down. Sorry Anvi! Christmas morning should be entertaining!

Breakfast with Santa

Last Friday, Santa visited Aiden and Court’s baby camp. Aiden was excited about all of the festivities but was a bit reserved when it came to Santa.  He was definitely interested but very unsure.  When Santa tried to hand Aiden a gift, Aiden reached out his arm as far as he possibly could without actually moving his body, retrieved the gift, and then ran away.  Court was really unimpressed by the whole event.  He pooped himself and then fell asleep.  Merry Christmas!

Filling up on some breakfast goodies prior to Santa's arrival.

Aiden is still a little young to understand the whole Santa concept. But if you ask him what Santa says, he replies, "Ho Ho Ho!" (Note the slobber on my shoulder...compliments of Court.)

Santa kind of snuck in the back of the room. Some kids went running away screaming in fear and some kids went running at him screaming their Christmas requests. Aiden just stood there frozen. (He is the one on the far right)

Santa read out the Naughty list...Aiden was on it. Just kidding (but he ought to be!) Court was tops on the Nice list.

Long Beach State game

Two weekends ago, we went to Chapel Hill for the Long Beach State game (sorry I am a little late with these pix!).  Aiden and Court made their first appearance to a night time game and they were fabulous.  Aiden got a little delirious by the end but was still in good spirits; he was running sprints in Bub’s box!  Court, on the other hand, refused to take his eyes off the game!  He didn’t fall asleep once!  We had a great time. And since then, Aiden will just randomly scream out, “Go TarHeels!” We are dedicated to raising him right.

Aiden clapped, cheered, and danced throughout the whole game.

Eyes glued to the court.

Entertaining himself with fine Carolina china (AKA stadium cups)

And then the next morning, Bub made breakfast for us all, and Pop entertained Court!

A 23 month old dancing machine

Aiden’s new favorite song is “Without you” by Usher.  What can I say, the boy has good taste.  (For those of you who don’t know, I am a huge Usher fan.)  He sings the chorus often and unprompted.  That’s my boy!  He also adds in a little Naughty by Nature here just to mix it up and make his father proud!

Learning to dress

Here are just a few of the adorable errors frequently made when Aiden attempts to dress himself.

Light and reft

Trial and error

Christmas time

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around these parts.

The boys received their first Christmas gift from "Mama Frederick." Aiden is reading their new book about Santa to Court.

 

Court was a little bit dwarfed by the Reindeer hat...

 

...but Aiden loved it! Thanks Margey!!!

 

Frosty...I mean, Court the snowman.

 

Aiden and Curious George getting into the holiday spirit with Christmas books.

 

Aiden hanging his stocking.

Court helping hang his own stocking.

 

I had grand plans of getting a photo of Court actually inside of his stocking. But darn it, this kid it too big!! So we just laid it on top of him instead 🙂

 

Aiden desperately trying to reach the top of the tree to hang the angel.

 

Finally frigid

It’s finally starting to feel like Christmas around here. The temperature has definitely dropped this past week. At night, we get bundled up with a blanket in front of the fire with warm chocolate chip cookies and milk. That’s what the holidays are about! Here is a photo of Court all bundled up too! (Thanks to the Newtons for the puffer vest!)

Obsessed

Aiden has an obsession.  He likes to put socks and shoes on his hands.  ALL THE TIME!  Whenever he sees you putting on socks or shoes or he puts on/takes off his socks or shoes, he says, “Sock on hands” or “Shoes on hands” repeatedly until the socks or shoes are donned.  He even tries other people socks and shoes on his hands whenever they take them off.  It’s really odd and it’s becoming an obsession.  What a weirdo! Here are some photos of his strange behavior from one day.  And trust me, I’m not posting pictures from every time that he did it during this particular day…there would have been too many photos!

Here he is saying, "Crocs on hands!"

"Boots on hands"

"Blue socks on hands"

Finally he got it right...well, kind of.