Judah has started to explore his independence. This has entailed falling out of the crib one day with a big thump. Tim and I ran to open the door of his room only to have him walk out crying. Needless to say, we had to lower the mattress again to the lowest setting. This means he now sits with his feet hanging out and banging them against the crib. Also, Judah learned to open the doors by himself (Dec 21), turning the handles. Judah finally outgrew his little bath, taking his bath in the big tub with all his toys.
This independence has carried over into eating. He now wants to eat with a plate or bowl all the time, trying scoop with a fork and spoon. He tries to feed mommy and daddy his food or at the very least have you eat the same item at the same time, including drinking. He also pulls apart his peanut butter sandwich to take bites out of the middle of the bread. His main food staple has become bananas as he likes eats three a day (cause he can walk over to the pantry and tell you he wants one). He wants to have the cereal box on his tray so that he can look at the pictures.
Judah is now talking in phrases, saying words that never ceases to surprise us. His frequent talking also includes the concept of plural as he adds the "S" sound (i.e. boat verses boats). We also were shocked when he exclaimed the letters "O" and "Y" from our stocking holders out of the blue one day. Even more so, he really wants to learn his shapes, already recognizing circles to the point of drawing them and pointing out squares and triangles, correctly naming them also. He is starting to concentrate on his colors, knowing blue and black for sure and noticing the others. He will help you count items out to ten if you ask "How many are there Judah," saying a few numbers like 2, 4, and 8.
Judah really picked up some new songs to sing. Singing Head and Shoulders and Your Happy if you Know it really helped him learn his body parts. We would participate in the actions, pointing out the body parts. He would also point out his body parts when asked telling you where his head, ears, eyes, mouth, teeth, shoulders, tummy, belly button, knees, and toes and feet were.
He also discovered winking and making funny faces, especially at himself in the mirror while eating in his high chair. He would also go around clapping and stomping his feet.
Besides all the newly, unpacked Christmas decorations, Judah loved to color in his box. We drew circles, squibbled other shapes, and doodled every inch of the box all the while climbing in and out of the tunnel. Judah would make you lay on your stomach so that you could color his beloved circles. He also picked out which colors you had and where you could color. Usually he had his favorite color blue while you had the other colors you practiced naming. Judah even made Nana Joyce color his box.
Our December started out with croup the first week back from Ohio. Judah's little body shook from the awful cough that seemed to keep him up during the night. We started the week at doctor's only to be told that croup is a virus that can only be cured with lots of rest and fluids. We then ended the week back at the doctor's for the cough turned into a bad sinus cold. During the days, Judah laid on the couch and watch his videos.
Once we were well, it finally started to feel like Christmas. Papa Ed and Nana Joyce came down to see us one weekend. Another weekend, my friend Sarah and I baked 15 plus dozen cut-out and oatmeal cookies while Tim and Judah went to winter Farmer's Market. Judah came home to his first taste of Christmas cookies, even calling them crackers in hopes of getting more.
When we were not focused on Christmas, Judah and I continued our normal activities. We resumed our play group with our friends on Monday mornings and went to story time at the Des Moines Central Library on Friday mornings. We also went to open gym (Dec 15) at the nearby West Des Moines Community Center in Valley Junction during the afternoon. Here Judah joined the other kids in letting out some energy by sliding down the slide, chasing balls, riding Big Wheels, and running around the gym.
Getting ready for Christmas meant cookie cutters, gift bows, and crayons strewn all over the house. Except for baking with my friend Sarah, Judah played with the silver cookie cutters setting them up on the floor downstairs. They never made it on the tree as intended. We even tried stringing a few of the smaller cookie cutters but to no avail as they soon were back on the floor for play. Upstairs was littered with gift boxes and wrapping paper. Judah's idea of wrapping gifts was helping with the tape and sitting on the paper. We went through a lot of tape this year as we used long pieces of tape often. Then we would get out the crayons and stickers, decorating the white gift boxes while mommy actually tried to wrap presents.
Decorating the tree was a chore with Judah. It was all we could do to keep him focused as excitement prevailed. We went to the tree farm this year but instead of actually cutting one down, we opted for a pre-cut one on that bitter cold day. Judah loved watching the model, Lego train set puffing its way around the track. Immediately we found a very large white pine we liked and Judah was amazed at the workers shaking the needles and wrapping it up. Judah came downstairs one morning to find the tree already set up, exclaiming “oooo” in his excitement of touching the needles. Later, when we went to decorate, he loved playing with the red, garland beads, dragging them around the house. He practiced his colors by pointing out lights, declaring the color.
Tim and I finished all the other Christmas activities after Judah went to bed: decorating the tree, Christmas cards, wrapping gifts (with the paper), making surprise videos, and even eating Christmas treats. During the day with Judah, the radio was constantly tuned into festive caroles, especially as Judah controlled volumn. He also discovered his nativity play set, setting up all his people around the manger scene or carrying Jesus.
Tim took off a few extra days to celebrate Christmas. Uncle Matt and Hilary stopped on their drive from Colorado to spend the night. The next morning, we woke up to a big homemade breakfast complete with daddy's muffins, eggs, and sausage. Later that evening we dressed up for the Christmas Eve Eve service at Point of Grace. Judah enjoyed the stage of snowflakes. The service ended with putting together chains of trust for the New Year. Afterwards, we came home for our Christmas dinner of Chicken Kiev, stuffing, and green bean casserole. Judah opened his big gift from mommy, four colored blocks and two sets of vinyl balls.
On Christmas Eve, we continued our own family celebration by opening stockings the next morning. Judah found a banana sticking out of his stocking. Inside were some choo, choo trains, Thomas and Percy. He also got really really excited over the new box of crayons. Tim liked the shorts he found in his stocking along with two new Stephen Bly books. And I discovered candy and gift cards in my stocking. Even Maestro found catnip and a light up ball in his stocking for him and Judah to play.
We took our time opening gifts throughout the day as a family only to stop to eat another wonderful breakfast and take a nap. Judah was really excited over his big gift from daddy, Thomas train and track. Tim had surprised me with a collection of home videos of Judah. And we all opened up matching pajamas of Polar Bears as part of our Christmas pajama tradition.
Later that day, we packed and planned to come north only to get snowed in Des Moines another night from our Christmas snowstorm. We finally left the next morning on Christmas day, trudging through snowdrifts and the woods to Nana J and Papa Ed's house. When we got there ate our fill of the French toast casserole and eggs and sat around the tree with the rest of my family to open gifts.
Judah found a Radio Flyer scooter among the gifts. While Tim and I opened clothes, hand towels, and sheets, Judah also found puzzles and a set of sports balls to play with Uncle Philip and Uncle Charlie. Afterwards, we napped, ate some more, and threw around the balls. Then later in the evening, we loaded back up to head out to the Rittgers Farm.
Once we arrived at the Farm, Judah played and played with his cousins, Jacob and Gabe. Having all the grandsons there, the boys followed each other around the couch, up and down the stairs, and into the boys room full of toys. The rest of us visited and watched the boys make a mess.
Even Papa played with the boys so the rest could play cards.
On Monday, after a big breakfast, we gathered in the sun room to open gifts. The boys featured old Christmas sweaters as we all posed for a family picture. Then we sang the Christmas story through Away and a Manger and blew out the candles to the cake. Soon the room became full of tractors, trucks, and lots and lots of wrapping paper as the kids played to their hearts content.
The rest of our trip was spent visiting with family. While the boys continued to play, the adults found some cards to play. We also did our after Christmas shopping, looking for those good sales. Finally, on Tuesday, the frigid weather warmed up enough to allow us a ride on the sled behind the four wheeler. Bundling up Judah except for his eyes peeking, Tim took us for a ride down to the pond and back. Then Judah explored the deep snow with his cousin Jacob, taking another sled ride, making snow angels, and trying to get stuck in the deep drifts. Even Gigi took a ride.
Tuesday evening we celebrated New Year's Eve with extended family by making ableskievers, the little round pancakes. Judah thought they were balls. Tim and I ended up cooking for the whole family before we packed up to go home.
