Christmastime Events--Grant:29 inches, Tree:96 inches

   

     Someday we'll visit Disneyland at Christmas time, but Grant still has 11 inches to grow, so for now we'll keep our joyful celebration close to home. 

     One of my favorite Christmas events is searching for the perfect tree, and this was Grant's first time so it was even more special than usual! Every year we head out in the old front wheel drive sleigh to visit Farmer Brown's Tree Farm in Arlington. They have more than 30 acres, hot cider, kettle corn, and Christmas music amplified throughout the woods! Grab your boots and mittens and make this part of your family's Christmas tradition!

    

     Please share a Christmas event that you enjoy with your family. Include your kids' current heights if you can! Post it as a comment and I'll add it to the blog for everyone to enjoy :)

Rebecca M said...

Some of our favorite Christmas traditions include visiting the big gingerbread houses in the Sheraton downtown and making cookies with my husband's family. With 5 little people at home, each Christmas event is full of excitement! Merry Christmas!! -Rebecca

Building Family Traditions

The height measurements of my kids are 63", 73", 76", 75" and 76" respectively.  Our family is big on traditions and if you haven't thought about it much this is a great time of year to institute traditions. They don't have to be world shaking just simple things like the excursion to cut down the tree, attending a tree lighting, baking and delivering Christmas cookies to friends and neighbors.  In our family each Christmas Eve the children acted out the Nativity as Dad read from the Bible. Of course Kerri (our only daughter) always had the role of Mary but the four brothers rotated between Joseph, shepherds and wise men. As grandchildren came along we continue the tradition during the Christmas season and although it is hectic with 12 children (6 of them girls now wanting to be Mary) we have had to expand our story to include Angels and who knows - if the family continues to grow we may be adding sheep and miscellaneous "stable" dwellers. I think that this small tradition along with maybe playing Secret Santa to a family in need, helps the children to understand the true meaning of Christmas.

To 40 Inches and Beyond!: Katie's Page

To 40 Inches and Beyond!: Katie's Page
SURVIVAL TIPS FOR WORKING MOMS
Please add your tips as well!
In keeping with the theme, I will organize by height!

up to 24 inches:
Be sure to connect with baby before you leave for work...I find breast feeding is a great way to do this, you have that special bonding time that you both need.

Keep a picture of your baby near your computer, in a place where you can see it often!

Ask the care provider a specific question about babies day - I find I get more info about what he did when the question is specific - i.e. "what did he do during tummy time?" or "Tell about feeding him today" or "What made him smile today?"


up to 36 inches:
As baby gets older, that morning connection time is still important - my husband is in charge of dropping the kids off so I like to be the one to dress him...knowing what he is wearing helps me keep a picture of him in my mind.

up to 48 inches:
Ask your child to remember one thing from his day to share with you when you see him...otherwise I find when I ask him what he did that day he says "I don't know?"



With more than 1 kid, I like to have something special that is unique for each one so I can vonnect with each in a different way. With my 5 year old we walk to the mailbox together, my 2 year old and I sing a special song, and my newborn and haven't found our "thing" yet...

teens

Teens are so much fun!... NOT! I remember the day they were born..20 inches and 21 inches...best days ever...now every day is a crap shoot...here is the one thing I do appreciate about them.
they keep me honest...I can't get away with anything. Christmas is coming and they don't let me forget anything. Every tradition, every event, every little detail.

Thanksgiving was wonderful even though I didn't cook a turkey for the first time in 38 years and the whole family didn't come to my house! I was so proud of the way the family pulled together to make this one of the best thanksgivings yet! It was so fun to be together and for once not have to worry if the gravy was going to be lumpy or wondering as we urged everyone to the table if I had left the cranberry sauce out in the garage!

One of my favorite memories will be seeing 10 of my grandchildren sitting around the table together becoming reverent and quiet as a prayer of thanksgiving was offered and as soon as the amen was sounded watching them dig into the feast!

My wonderful family is my greatest reason to be thankful this year!

Things you've shared about your beginnings...

Dear family and friends, I'd love to hear a special memory that you have about your child's first day of life, or a story that you've been told about your own first day! Post it as a comment and I’ll add it here for everyone to enjoy. Don't forget to add their starting height!

Katie said...

Escher's starting height was 19 inches, Moby's was 20 inches and Fuller's was 21.5 inches.

With all 3 of my kids, my very favorite memory of each of their first day is similar to yours Sabrina, it's snuggling with them - a little warm baby head snuggled up next to my neck...listening to their soft breathing, watching their eyes flutter every now and then...and then slowly drifting off to sleep...nothing in the world compares to that.

You can call me Mrs. A. said...

16 inches- Mom went to work, as usual, and on the way home, she got her favorite December treat - Peppermint ice cream from Baskin-Robins. So, that evening, Mom and Dad were talking on the phone to Dad's mom. They were joking about whether I would arrive early enough for them to claim the additional tax break. (My mom was tiny and showed no signs of progressing.) Halfway through the call, Mom said she was ready to go to the hospital. They didn't really believe her.

About an hour later, they rushed to the hospital, Dad parking in a "No Parking" zone (we still have the ticket) and Mom had me within minutes of arriving at the hospital.

What does Mom remember most about that night? That my brother and sister ate all her ice cream!

mommypauline said...

It's well known fact that Grandma's love all their grandchildren and can remember each of their births with very special memories. The memory that sticks out in my mind was when they wheeled Sabrina out of the delivery room - but there was no baby in sight, where was this mystery baby? Well apparently he was in his daddy's arms - making John cry like a baby! Pretty soon though they got there composure and joined Sabrina. When they finally did appear the family scene was a very touching one.

Never under estimate the influence of a mother on a children. They watch you -even when you don't know you are being observed. Even the mundane duties you perform around them from day to day become their view of the world. Try to live your life the way you would want your child to follow!
 

"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother"  

Abraham Lincoln

Don't forget to include help from above when you are having a stressful day as a mom and don't forget to pray for your children.  This is a crazy world and we would not think of sending them off into the big cold world without their coat and hat - let's send them off with our prayers. We can all use His help. As one of our great presidents said:

"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life."

Abraham Lincoln

We begin--21 inches

    Those of you who know me well know that I am NEVER excited about--or ready for--change. So it might seem strange that I am actually looking forward to the time when my son will reach the height of 40 inches. What's so special about 40 inches? Anyone who loves Disneyland as much as I do already knows the answer to that...At 40 inches a kid can finally get sprinkled with star dust and board almost every fabulous ride in the park! We're talking Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and many more! Yes, I'm a touch crazy, but I almost can't wait for Grant to be big enough! Notice that I said "almost" can't wait. I know that my aversion to change can't freeze Grant where he is so that I can keep my smiling baby the way he is now forever. He's gonna grow, and grow fast! Actually, he is already well beyond the "21 inch" title of this post. I decided to start this little chronicle a bit late, so I'll have to flash back to April 13, 2010, and then work our way to the present.
     So, as you may have guessed, Grant was 21 inches when he was born. Okay, 19 inches to go. He was a little too cold when he was born so the nurses instructed me to hold him--skin to skin--through the night. I didn't sleep a wink, I just stared at my baby, falling more and more in love with every breath. I could have stayed like that forever. It was the best day of my life, and I've had some really good days. By the time the sun came up that day, Grant was well on his way on the 40 inch journey, and I already knew that I would cherish every second of it.

22.5 inches

An entire month has flown by! I'm back to work next week :( But, then only a few more weeks and then school's out and I'll get to enjoy the entire summer with my beautiful boy! We just celebrated my first mother's day. Mother's day night, after Grant went to bed, I spent a few hours writing down (on paper) the series of events (and emotions) leading up to his birth, and the hours afterward. I was surprised by the amount of detail that I could remember, even a month later. But, I'm so glad that I wrote it down now because someday the details will fade. I am so blessed to be a mother. And, I am so grateful for my mother, and her mother, from whom I learned everything I know about loving my child.

21.5 inches

One week at home--I can't believe it! I have never, in my entire life, been this tired--or this delighted! My life now consists of laughing with my husband (probably some sort of delirium has set in) and nursing Grant.