Merry Christmas!!!

Love,

Kyler

Getting Our Christmas Tree

I (Ashley) have always had a real Christmas tree growing up, so that is something I have wanted to continue with my family. For as long as I can remember, the weekend after Thanksgiving we have driven up to the Volga Valley Tree Farm east of Sumner and picked out a Christmas tree. Since Erik and I have gotten married and have our own house, we have continued this tradition and this year was no exception! The Sunday after Thanksgiving we headed up to the tree farm with my parents and brother to pick out our Christmas tree. They have hand-made wreaths and garland too that you can buy. Here are some pictures from this annual event and Kyler's first Christmas tree picking excursion!

All bundled up ready to go look!

My dad and Ben with their tree!

Us with our tree!

8 Months Old!

Kyler is 8 months old today! Our little man is growing and changing every day. These past couple of days he has started making this new noise, I don't even know how to describe it, he sounds like a dinosaur or something, it's deep in his throat. Every time he does it Erik and I just have to laugh! Kyler has become much more vocal this month. He is starting to talk more and for longer periods of time. He will babble and say ah-dah-dah-ba-ba-ba-ba just while he sits on the floor and plays. He throws in a "ma-ma-ma-ma" every now and then too, but he doesn't know what he's saying yet! :)

We keep working on the food thing. He is doing really well with cereal, he is actually wanting to eat it now and is doing pretty well keeping it in his mouth. We have also tried carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, pears, and some bites of banana. He seems to like the sweet potatoes the best. I tried to give him carrots again tonight for dinner but he had no desire to eat them. He also loves to drink out of a sippy cup. His favorite thing to drink is water, we have given him diluted white grape juice too, which he also likes.

Kyler is working on crawling, but he's not there yet. He rolls over all the time and then once he gets to his belly he just wants to go. He gets frustrated VERY easily. A couple times he has gotten up on all fours for a few seconds but that's about it. Usually he ends up rolling over to his side because he is mad. He also scoots backwards whenever he tries to crawl.

Kyler's personality is really starting to come out. Tonight at the dinner table he would sit there and go "Ahhhh" really loud. Then Erik will do it back to him and he will do it again. He just kept yelling and making different noises, very loudly. It's funny because whenever I take him to the grocery store or Walmart everyone always comments how quiet and relaxed he is....if they only saw him at home! :)

Sleeping is still not going the greatest. After Thanksgiving, Kyler quit taking good naps during the day. He will sleep for like a half hour and then when he is rocked back to sleep as soon as you lay him down he wakes up-no matter how long you rock him. So....we are working on him putting himself to sleep in his crib... :)

Well that's all for this month, can't wait to see what the next month brings! Our little man may be on the move by then!

Merry Christmas!

When I get tired of eating food...I just chew on my bib! :)

Big boy!

Reading books with mommy

Daddy thought I needed some lotion to look like war paint... :)

Kyler ALWAYS tries to take his hat off. One night when I got home from the Wednesday night meal at church, I opened the van to see him like this! I laughed pretty hard.

All bundled up for probably the last walk of the year

Chillin' in the bath tub

Happy boy!

Working on crawling!

Sweet boy :)

Thanksgiving 2009

We had a great 1st Thanksgiving with Kyler! It started on Wednesday night when we drove to Des Moines to pick up Ludivine. Ludivine is from France and I met her my junior year of high school when we did an exchange program through our schools. I spent two weeks at her house in France, and then she came to Iowa and spent two weeks living with me. We have kept in tough ever since and this semester, she is studying through her French university at Georgia Tech. She wanted to come and visit me and my family while she was here in the U.S., and it worked out that she could come for Thanksgiving! It was so great to see her again and have her spend the weekend with me and my family.

On Thursday we had lots of great food! We went over to my parent's house for lunch and celebrated with my mom's side of the family. There were 25 people there!! It was crazy, but great to have all of our family together. Then, for dinner we went to Erik's parent's house and celebrated with some of his dad's side of the family. By the end of the day, we were so full, but very thankful for so many things this past year!! Below are some photos from the day!

Kyler hanging out with my cousin, Angie, and my grandma.

Ludivine, Erik, and I eating dinner.

Kyler hanging out with Grandpa.

Ludivine, Erik, Kyler, and I before dinner.