Christmas 2011

Wow! Santa sure did bring a lot for three little boys!

Daddy got a stocking, too! Hehe!

A very sleepy Cohen sitting in his new chair playing his guitar!

Cheeeeese!

Cousin Jaxson checking out his new "bike."

Cohen and Mommy opening Cohen's stocking!

Hmm...what's this?

Sitting with his cousin Jeffery!

Jeffery was Cohen's best buddy the entire time they were down in San Antonio!

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! Santa Claus came to San Antonio to visit Cohen, Jeffery, and Jaxson! The boys had a lot of fun seeing what all they got and playing with their new things. But most of all, I think they had fun playing with each other!

Fun at the San Antonio Children's Museum

Just checking it all out...

Under the ball drop.

"Where did all those balls come from?!"

Stairs are Cohen's new favorite thing to try out!

"Flying" the airplane!

Cohen just loved climbing up and "rowing" the boat!

Shopping at the mini-HEB!

Outta the way, Mom!

Adding the essentials to his shopping cart!

Thinking about milking the cow...he didn't, though. The stool was just too much fun to sit on.

Wow, what does this thing do?!

The really cool lighted peg board!

Trying to climb over the "house."

And, back to the bubble tube - it was just too cool!

Cohen had a great time at the SACM for the first time over Christmas break! We're definitely going to have to visit there again!

Scary Santa

No amount of "Look, Cohen! Mommy loves Santa Claus!" or "Cohen, Santa Claus loves to give high-fives!" was going to work on this kid. The second I sat him in Santa's lap and walked away, the screaming commenced. Bless his heart. I'm hoping he's not scarred for life. Needless to say, I purchased the picture package simply to show him how he behaved his second-time-ever to visit Santa. Ha! :)

Cohen's first school picture!

Cohen Kent, 14 months old, Abiding Presence Lutheran Church Day School, Toddler Class

STOP growing so stinkin' fast, my love!! I can't believe we're already posting school pictures!

Christmas 2011

Our makeshift mantel! I think the stockings look great up there! :)

My angels and Cohen's new Santa Claus that he got last year!

The big Christmas tree - in the office/playroom!

The smaller, Cohen-friendly Christmas tree in the living room!

Cohen sitting in front of the tree...if only I had had him in different clothes, this one would have made the Christmas card!

The new "fake" smile that he insists on doing more times than not in pictures these days!

This is from the actual Christmas card picture shoot...in his Christmas overalls (that he hated) with the string of lights (that he also hated)...

...needless to say, this photo shoot was nearly impossible to capture a card-worthy photograph!

We started getting somewhere when we pretended to not take pictures...

...see what I mean?? This one is kind of magical, I think!

And, finally...this is the one we went with - it matched the cards we liked the best! You'll see for yourself if you're on our Christmas card list! ;)

I know I already used the word "magical" once in this blog, but I really believe that that's the best word to use for Christmastime once you have a child. There is just something so magical about how their eyes light up when they see the Christmas tree all lit up and they get to help decorate. Don't get me wrong, last year was wonderful, too, but he was still so tiny...this year the "magic" all begins! We'll be seeing Santa Claus for the first time this season this Saturday...in fact, we're having breakfast with him at Brio! I can't wait to see Cohen's face when he sees Santa! Don't worry, there will be pictures! Happy holidays, everyone!

Fun over the Thanksgiving break!

Jaxson and Cohen in the bounce house at The Jumpy Place!

Cohen was much more interested in all of the play houses than the bounce houses...

Especially the pirate ship!

This?? (always with a *point*)

Get me, please...I'm ready to get out.

Well, maybe it's not so bad!

At The Snake Farm in New Braunfels!

When Cohen saw these guys, he signed "bird!" Yay! :)

Talking to the next birds in line...

...bright red macaws.

Look at that warthog, Daddy!

Jeffery and Jaxson checking out the longhorns and the zebra!

An upclose of Pumbaa himself! Hehe!

Daddy, Jaxson, and Cohen looking at the cavies.

The hyena thought he and Cohen were long lost buddies.

When Will put Cohen down, the hyena ran right up to say hello!

A silly monkey!

This poor turkey was terrorized by my son the entire trip to the Snake Farm...Cohen was bound and determined he was going to hug that turkey - thank goodness he never got close enough!

A Serval cat that Cohen insisted said "roar" instead of "meow."

Our hyena buddy laying in the sun!

The rooster getting a closer look at Cohen and Daddy - Cohen must have smelled good that day! :)

Pretty peacock!

On Thanksgiving Day - wearing his "turkey" shirt...and no pants...being a silly turkey himself!

See what I mean?!

Of course his shirt had to have feathers, too!

Jeffery and Jaxson came down the week of Thanksgiving break and we had a blast! We spent Monday at the Jumpy Place, Tuesday at the Snake Farm and Wednesday, we took all three boys to see The Muppet Movie! Thursday was wonderful complete with turkey and dressing and all the trimmings! What a great start to the holiday season!