After Christmas

Jacob's first Christmas has been one of the more memorable Christmases.  I think it ranks up there with the year that Marissa broke her foot (sorry, Marissa) and the first year we were allowed to stay up and go to Midnight Mass.  Jacob still doesn't quite know what to make of opening presents, but he was entranced by the Christmas tree and enjoyed playing with some of his new toys.  It was just so fun with him this year.  In addition to it being Jacob's first Christmas, my sister also got engaged!  We are all very happy!

Jacob eyes up the Christmas tree at my parents' house.

We must have been good, because Santa brought us all kinds of fun things!

And speaking of fun with Jacob... My little bugger is 10.5 months old!  How is that POSSIBLE?!? 

Such a sweet smile!

Loves:

• "walking" with that little walker toy.  And now he also likes to walk with one of us holding his hands.  He pulls you where he wants to go and will sometimes get pouty when you don't go where he wants to go.
• playing with his Little People nativity set.  He "walks" over to it, picks up the people and bangs them on the table.  Poor Mary and Joseph must have such awful headaches...
• rolling around in the blankets on our bed.  On the weekends, he has his breakfast bottle in bed with us, and afterwards he loves to flop himself down on the covers.  He also used to love to do this in the evenings right before bath, but since changing our duvet cover he doesn't seem to enjoy it as much at that time of day.
• feeding himself.  Especially if he's snacking on puffs, Cheerios, or Veggie Straws.
• shaking his head "no."

Does Not Love:

• getting his diaper changed.  Or maybe it's just when I change his diaper.  The minute I lean him back on his changing table pad, he starts screaming.
• not getting his way.  He is a stubborn little boy sometimes, and he lets you know if you're about to make him do something he doesn't want to do.
• if we walk out of the room.  He feels that it's okay for him to "walk" out of the room we're in, but if we walk out on him, he goes crazy.  And it's not like we're leaving him in his bedroom or something.  He does this when we leave the living room to go into the kitchen. 

Sleeps:

• like a champ at night.  But Jacob and naps are two words that still do not go together.

Eats:

• a decent amount of food, but I can't wait until he can actually chew things with teeth, instead of just gumming things.  He has his front four teeth, but let's face it -- those don't do much.

Jacob seems to do new things every day.  He stacks blocks and other objects now, and takes things out and puts things back into boxes and baskets.  He "talks" and has a silly little giggle, and his smile lights up his whole face.  You can't help but smile yourself when you see it.