Our Christmas Portrait.

I know it's early still, but I am so excited for our first Christmas as a family.

We wish you a Merry Christmas,

We wish you a Merry Christmas,

We wish you a Merry Christmas,

And a Happy New Year.

~We Wish You a Merry Chrismas From the Nemos.

These are five of my favorite shots from our photo session with Justine Shelton, of J.Shelton photography. I love them!

Baby's First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Song

Turkey for the girls and
Turkey for the boys
My favorite kind of pants
Are corduroys
Gobble gobble goo and
Gobble gobble gickel
I wish turkey
Only cost a nickel
Oh I love turkey on Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Thanksgiving Song~Adam Sandler

It is quite obvious what I am thankful for this year. He has brown eyes and blond hair. His smile melts my heart, his laughter brings a tear to my eye. Everything he does is precious, exciting, and new. Every moment spent with him is a joyous occasion. My son is the most wonderful gift I could have ever received. Nothing compares to the joy that he brings both Nate and I. So it should come as no surprise that this Thanksgiving was the greatest Thanksgiving in the history of the Nemo household.

There was nothing spectacular going on. It wasn't a gigantic family affair. There weren't hoards of people, or enormous amounts of food. We didn't spend the day in one conversation after the other. We didn't watch children chase each other around a warm, noisy house. We didn't listen to bickering, or video games. We spend the bulk of the day watching movies and preparing dinner. It was quiet. But it was still wonderful. It felt the way Thanksgiving should feel. It was peaceful and relaxing. It was spend with people that we love. There was no pressure, no where we had to be, no obligation to stay until the party was over. It was relaxed, low-key, it was perfect.

Max had his first taste of mashed potatoes, candied yams, and dark meat turkey. He loved it. It was thick, and it was delicious. He played with his cousin Sterling. He spent time with his Opa Rio and his Grandma Sharon. He was doted over by his Uncle Brendan and Auntie Becca. He got to spend the day with his Daddy. It was perfect. And our precious gift, our wonderful boy went to bed, belly full of good things to eat, and slept for most of the night. He only awoke once. It was perfect.

I love Thanksgiving. But this one was the best one yet. I think it has to do with a certain little blond-haired, brown-eyed boy that has forever captured my heart, and forever made me thankful for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me and my wonderful little family. Happy Thanksgiving!!

I Love Christmas Music!!

Oh Come Emmanuel~

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,

Who ordered all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show,

and teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to you, O Israel!

~Lutheran Hymn

Oh Come Emmanuel has become my favorite Christmas song. It isn't just this year, although my Nutcracker Radio Station (on Pandora) plays it regularly. It actually became my favorite Christmas song several years ago. It is always a hymn we sing at Mass, every year. It was one of the reasons why I look forward to Advent Mass. I just really love this song. It speaks to me, in an indescribable "I am here with you" way. I can't explain it. It just makes the season come alive for me. It serves its purpose. It makes me think of God. And although I am not the most pious of people, I do really value this time of year for what it truly is. I value it as a Christian.

It makes me really take notice of what this thing called faith is supposed to look like. Christmastime makes everyone better people, regardless of their beliefs. That is God to me. Christmastime makes the world shiney and sparkely. That is God to me. Christmastime brings families together. That is God to me. Christmastime brings out the pure child-like joy in adults, no matter how crotchety they are. That is God to me. Christmastime bring out the goodwill of man. That is God to me. Christmastime brings strangers together to help out their fellow man. That is God to me.

I love Christmastime Masses. I love being crammed in a church, singing with my fellow church goers, holding hands during the Lords Prayer, shaking hands as a Sign of Peace, giving homage to a man that came in love. And to me, Christmastime is LOVE. It isn't about the gift giving at all. To me, it is about the shiney, sparkely, child-like, family filled love that only Christmastime can bring. I love this time of year. And yes, the historian in me knows that Jesus was not born on December 25th. But this is the time that we have carved out, to bring people together, in the name of a man that did just that. I love this time of year. I love it so much. And even though Thanksgiving has yet to come and go, I celebrate the Christmas season. I will celebrate this season until the New Year, and I will bask in the glow, the perfect, shiney, sparkley, child-like, family filled glow that is Christmastime.

We Are Busy Lil' Nemos...

Too Busy

I'm busy, busy, dreadfully busy

You've no idea what I have to do.

Busy, busy, shockingly busy

Much, much too busy for you.

Oh, I see.

We're busy, busy, dreadfully busy

You've no idea what we have to do.

Busy, busy, shockingly busy

Much, much too busy for you.

'Cause we're busy, busy, frightfully busy

More than a bumblebee, more than an ant.

Busy, busy, horribly busy

We'd love to help, but we can't!

Ta ta!

~ Veggie Tales

So it is that time of year, that time where everything blows up and hits you at once. I am enjoying the season more than I ever have (in my adult life). Max is at the best age, I am learning a new trade, we are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, Sterling's first birthday, Christmas with the boys, and New Years (which is the day that my family celebrates Christmas...I will explain this tradition in a later post).

I am excited for what 2010 is going to bring, and life is just so good. But it is extremely busy. I never knew how busy we would actually be, what with a 7 month-old, trying to work as much as possible, and not having Nate around at night. But I am loving every minute of it. Sure, the house isn't clean, the laundry is piling up, the dishes need to be done, but we are having fun, and all that stuff can wait. Besides, the dishes and the laundry aren't going anywhere!

So here's what is new in the Nemo household: Max got his first tooth, now his second. I bought a new fancy schmancy camera (too bad it is being shipped to the wrong address and I have to intercept it before it gets returned, but what's life without a little drama?), I finally got my tax refund and my Economic Stimulus check (from 2 years ago) which is a nice surprise, Max is trying to crawl, and Nate got offered a better position at his current job, with predictable hours.

Let's get back to my camera though, shall we?! My camera is a Nikon d60 and I have been drooling over it for years. I don't need more than what it offers, because I never intend on going pro. I just want a nice camera that I can use to take great photos of my family, and maybe use to take stills for my business. I am so excited to have a good camera for the holidays. I wish it was coming before Thanksgiving, and Sterling's birthday, but Brendan has a fancy camera and he can take enough pictures of Sterling and Max to share with me!

We have a bunch of other great stuff planned. Thanks to a friend, we are going to go on the Santa Train, Max is going to his first Christmas party, and we are going to take pictures with Santa. The next few weeks are so busy, and we are going to have so much fun, that I am afraid my poor little blog will be even more neglected. I just have to make a pact that I will post at least 3 times per week, that way, I will actually write. So here are just a few pictures from the last few days:

Max's teeth: Aren't they glorious??

Max got his second lower incisor. He was none too thrilled with this development, and he let us all know it. Loudly. I hope that those two top ones come in quickly, because I am running out of endurance.

The young prince is also trying to master that huge milestone known as crawling. And as exciting as this milestone will be, I fear I have not fully prepared for it, both mentally and spiritually. I need to purchase some baby proofing equipment, STAT! In the first shot of this series, the young prince is posing, mugging for the camera if you will. I think that he has figured out what mommy is doing with that flashy contraption.

In the second picture, he is showing the world just how far up he can go on his arms.

 In the third shot, he is doing the crash landing. He loves this manouver, and does it quite frequently, during his daily floor endeavours. And in the last picture, he has managed to scoot up to his favorite toy, only to throw it across the room seconds later, in a frusterated fit of rage. I think he has his mommy's temper. His daddy rarely gets mad. Poor baby. I was hoping he would be more mild mannered.

I do it all for the love of a little man!

It's been a hard day's night

and I've been working like a dog.

It's been a hard day's night,

I should be sleeping like a log.

But when I get home to you,

I find the things that you do,

Will make me feel alright.

You know I work all day,

to get you money to buy you things.

And it's worth it just to hear you say,

You're gonna give me everything.

So why one Earth should I moan,

Cause when I get you alone,

You make me feel okay.

Hard Day's Night~The Beatles

I do it all for the love of a little man!

This working at home, and being a full-time stay at home mom business is some seriously hard work! Who would have thunk it? I am simultaneously trying to keep a house in order (but failing on that front), working 30 hours a week, and keeping an increasingly curious (and almost mobile) baby entertained. This is some serious business we're talking about, and mommy is TIRED!

I think I am able to get most of my tasks accomplished because I am not sleeping (adding hours to the day, but taking years off my life). I got to bed sometime around midnight. This is due to the flawed mommy logic that the baby, who still isn't sleeping through the night by the way, will be waking up around that time and will be demanding food. After the baby is fed and placed neatly back into his crib, I bathe. This is my "me all to myself" time. Once that bath is done, I hobble into bed to catch maybe three hours of sleep, and then it's time to feed the baby again. We repeat this a couple more times, before I have to get up for good. I had been getting up at 7:00, with Mr. Max, and letting Nate catch a few extra z's. But lately, I haven't been feeling well. So instead of waking up at 7:00, I have been handing the baby off to Nate, and then going back to bed until 9:00 or so.

Once I have awoken, eaten some breakfast, and had my coffee, I spend the next four or five hours on the computer, diligently trying to learn the skill of technical editing. It is a lot more fun than I thought it would be, but very complicated and frustrating. I force myself to stay focused, most days, because this is the path that allows me the freedom to stay home. I do it all for the love of a little man. But it is hard, and I am tired. I know it will get better, easier, more fun. I know it will give us the opportunity to move up in the world, but I am tired.

Oh well. I do it all for the love of a little man, and I am happy to do it (even if it means I don't sleep until he is out of the house).

He's 7 Months-Old, Already??

Time it was I had a dream,

And you're that dream come true.

And if I had the world to give,

I'd give it all to you.

I'll show you how this life became

A miracle to me.

You'll fly away,

But take my hand until that day,

So when they ask how far love goes,

When my job's done, you'll be the one who knows.

All the things you treasure most,

Will be the hardest won.

I will watch you struggle on

'For the answers will come.

But I won't make it harder;

I'll be there to cheer you on.

I'll shine the light that guides you down

The road you're walking on.

You'll fly away,

But take my hand until that day,

So when they ask how far love goes,

When my job's done,

You'll be the one who knows.

Before the mountains call to you,

Before you leave this home,

I will teach your heart to trust

As I teach my own.

But sometiems I will ask the moon

Where it shined upon you last,

And shake my head and laugh and say

'It all went by so fast.'

You'll fly away,

But take my hand until that day,

So when they ask how far love goes,

When my job's done,

You'll be the one who knows.

The One Who Knows~Dar Williams

We're Sick ~ Boo!!

Alas, my nose doth run and run

I've blown and blown it continuously

My handkerchief has been wrung, and wrung

Disintegrating, and that's why you see

Chorus:Greensleeves 'cause I can't avoid

Greensleeves had my shirt of white

Greensleeves makes 'em all go "Ewww" 'cuz

My nasal mucus drips on greensleeves.

~Henry VIII (Allegedly)

The dreaded crud has invaded the Nemo household. Mama and baby fish are laid up with fevers and runny noses. Only Daddy fish has escaped the wrath of the dreaded first cold of the season. It stinks!

Maximus was really fussy last night. I thought it was because I had not answered the young master's wails of hunger in a timely enough fashion. I tried to feed the little prince, but by that time, he was already inconsolable. He was crying the ugly cry. You know, the kind that nothing short of a promise of a pony and all the candy in the world can cure. The kind that once it finally ceases, still takes ten minutes of snorting and sniffling to finally be worked out of their little systems. I hate the ugly cry. It's annoying, it's loud, and it makes me feel like a bad mommy! It really made me feel like a bad mommy when I put my cold symptom-free child down for bed, only for him to arise with a cough and a runny nose that would put the leak in the Titanic to shame. My poor tot was trying to tell his mama that something was coming on, but how was I to know. I tell ya, that child better learn some English quick!!

To make matters worse, Max decided to share the gift that keeps on giving. Tons of snuggles, kisses, and eat tha mamas later and I am also sick. Poop. The only thing that makes this whole experience of Mama being sick and taking care of a sick baby easier is that I have a very happy sick baby! He was all full of smiles and snot filled giggles. He is one cute sicko!! And, at least it's just a cold, not Hamthrax, Porky's Revenge, Swine Flu.