Merry

Here are a few more.  We will be back in the New Year.  Until then, be Merry!!

Santa's little helper

Not sure exactly what Troy could help Santa with...unless he needed help unwrapping presents and chewing on everything in sight?

Sitting Pretty

Here is Troy all dressed up in his Christmas outfit...since it will be a bit too chilly in Alberta for the Reindeer ensemble!

Joy

Tonight I am packing up our suitcases, as we get ready to fly to Alberta tomorrow for Christmas (YAY!).  We will be there until January 7...so I am posting the last entries of 2012.

I took a lot of photos of Troy (in various outfits) for Christmas cards this year.  It was hard to pick a favorite, so I've decided to post a few from each photo shoot.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Here is Troy the (naked) Reindeer...

Holiday Spirit

Yesterday, we celebrated an early Christmas with the Bakkers.  We had a chance to meet the newest addition to the family, Jackson!  He is so adorable - and feels incredibly light compared to Troy :)

Troy and Auntie Deta (Jackson's Gramma)

Jackson and Troy (Troy was feeling a bit camera-shy and Jackson was clearly bored with it all)

Ashley helping Troy get on the bottle...hee

Troy keeping cousin Art's beer warm 

more Auntie Deta snuggles

sweater boys

all partied out

Happy Feet

Troy does indeed have happy feet.  He is constantly pulling off his socks or kicking at everything in sight.  One of his favorite things to do is kick our bedroom closet doors...so they rattle.  He giggles in delight at his "music".  He also enjoys standing on his own two feet (with assistance, of course). Troy is certainly getting stronger, and longer, by the day!

twinkle toes

getting his kicks

Look...I'm standing on end (and so is my hair)!

You're holding on to me though, right daddy??

Outward Bound

As you know, Troy and I like to get out and about (when the weather allows).  I have been using the car seat attached to the stroller...but have been finding that Troy is getting a little too snuggly in it??  In fact, now that the weather is getting chillier...and I have been putting more layers on him...I'm finding that I cannot expand the belts enough.  When I tried to fit him in with his new puffy jacket, he simply did not fit!!  Shocked that he could already be outgrowing the carseat, I took a look at the weight and height restrictions - he's already exceeded the height and is not far off the 22 lbs limit...so it's time to start looking for a new car seat.

In the meantime, we can still take strolls in the stroller (phew!).

chillin' in the car seat (without puffy jacket!)

graduation to the stroller without the car seat!

Puffy jacket makes a good pillow too...zzzzzzzzz

double-checked the bouncy chair weight limit...it goes up to 25 lbs...phew!!

Good thing...because Troy had TWO servings of sweet potato after our walk.  I guess it was all the fresh air?

Happy 1/2 Birthday!

Today is Troy's 1/2 Birthday...he is six months old.  He weighs 8.25 kg (18.2 lbs) and he is 72.5 cm tall (2' 4").   He has been enjoying solid food for two months now.  His current favorites are sweet potato and banana (not together, of course!)  He holds his head up really well, and can sit up (supported).  He continues to roll over, but no crawling (yet!).  He babbles a lot.  There have been a few "mama's" (completely out of context)...however, it makes mommy's heart melt.

To celebrate Troy's 1/2 birthday, I made half-a-birthday-cake.  I realized a few things in the process:

1.  I have six more months to improve my cake decorating skills (and tools!)

2.  One should not decorate a cake at the same time one is preparing supper, feeding one's baby and turning the kitchen upside-down to find cake decorating tools (that probably haven't been used since several moves ago!)

3.  Be thankful that Troy is not old enough to criticize his cake

4.  Watching Troy admire his cake like it is the best thing in the whole world (for that second!) makes it all worthwhile.

Happy 1/2 Birthday Troy...Mommy and Daddy can't wait to celebrate many more (but we'll probably just go with the whole years, and not the halves...just guessing)

I was going for the child'ish writing...really, I was

wow...there's fire on my cake

Mommy you just blew out my candle 

Six months happy

When do we get to dig into this cake, dad?

wearing whipped cream

Let's get this party started!!!

The many faces of Troy...

Troy is very...expressive.  Here he is, hamming it up for the camera (and looking rather blonde!)