Christmas with the Staggs. . .

Stratton's first time opening presents!

 

 

We had a good day Saturday with Jarrod's family. Stratton got lots of presents! He even got the hang of tearing off the paper, but then he would try to eat it!  He likes all of his new "noisy" toys and he got lots of them! ha! He also got some more educational toys, including a Leapfrog dog that you can customize by hooking it up to the computer and downloading songs, and stuff (it's the coolest toy for babies), he got some new books and some Baby Einstein dvds! Yay! One Christmas down, THREE more to go! I think we are going to need a Uhaul to get all of Stratton's toys home next week if this past weekend was any indication of what is to come! 

Christmas exitement. . .last year

I don't think I ever posted this video from last year. . . .
We wrapped a pacifier in a box with a "note that said you're going to be grandparents!" Margie got a little excited, to say the least! This year wasn't quite as exciting, but it was still fun!

Stratton's first scary stunt!

Let me set the scene for you. . . It's about 6:15pm, it's been a really long day and I am exhausted, all I can think about are a hot bath and my comfy clothes. I  had just walked in the door with my hands full, with Stratton, who was half asleep, and all my bags and the cat was under my feet crying to be fed. So I lay Stratton down on the couch, thinking he will go back to sleep while I go feed the cat, in mere seconds I hear him screaming. . . so I go back into the living room thinking he was just throwing a fit because he got woke up from his nap when I got him out of the car, but no. He is no longer on the couch! I ran around the ottoman to find him face up lying in the floor!!  He had rolled off the couch! I was shocked! He has never even tried to roll over on the couch. In the floor he will roll over but he has never attempted it on the couch, at least not to my knowledge.  Anyway, it scared me and him both half to death! Probably me a little more than him. I pick him up, we were both crying and all I could think about was having to go to the emergency room alone, so I called Jarrod (who is working in the Hardy area again this week and left Tuesday and wasn't coming home until Thursday night) to tell him to come home. . .but he didn't answer! So, not knowing what to do and really afraid something might be wrong with him,  I called my mom. She was still in Wynne eating supper with my dad, but they headed towards Jonesboro. I finally got him settled down holding and rocking him, but every time I tried to look to see if he was ok he would start screaming again! He finally went to sleep for a little while and then woke up and ate and after that he seemed fine. I gave him a look over and he didn't have a scratch on him, Thank goodness!! My mom and dad stayed for a couple of hours and after they left I fed Stratton again and we went to bed. I put Stratton in our bed in his snuggle nest (so he couldn't roll out!) in our bed. I was scared that he would have a seizure in the middle of the night or something awful. . . he went right to sleep and slept almost all night. I am so thankful that he is ok! I don't know why he thought last night, of all nights, while I was all alone would be a good time to pull a stunt like this!  That's just my luck! I can breathe a little sign of relief today. It's funny how I really freaked out, I never would have thought I would have reacted like that?! It's really a new experience for me!  I know I need to get used to it, and that this was just the first of many scary moments to come!!

Branson

We went to Branson this past weekend for a annual meeting, at The Chateau on the Lake, that Cullum Seeds organizes for some of our soybean producers. I get to go because I am the event planner and meeting coordinator, and my parents get to go because my dad is one of the program participants, so it works out well!

Last year at the meeting we knew I was pregnant, we had actually just found out a couple of days before we left. At that time no one knew but us, and it was really really hard to be around my mom so much and to hide it from her! The whole time last year I kept thinking about what it would be like bringing a baby along. . . . it was different than what I envisioned, but that had a lot to do with the fact that I thought I would have a 3-4 month old and not a 5 month old! Stratton was really good, almost surprisingly so. We put the pack and play up for him to sleep in and he slept through the night every night we were there! The packing was what was most unexpected! Who knew a little baby would need his own suitcase! But we had to bring just about all his clothes, you can't anticipate what is going to be happening, and what if he has one of those "4 outfit" kind of days, every day?!  I had to be prepared for anything!! So we had a total of three suitcases, a large plastic tub of meeting materials, the stroller, the pack'n'play, the bouncy seat  and a few odds and ends bags. . .the back of my vehicle was PACKED!

Stratton did great on the ride down there. We (Stratton and I) left about 2pm and headed to Hardy to pickup Jarrod, they are working in that area right now. That was about an hour or so drive and Stratton slept the whole way. At the Entergy office at Hardy I got him out and changed him. Then we hit the road and ended up stopping for gas less than 15 minutes later and had to get Stratton out and feed him. From then on he slept till about 15 miles outside of Branson! It wasn't a bad trip at all! And the trip home was even better he slept almost the entire way, we even stopped a couple of times and he didn't wake up!

We got there late Wednesday night and left Sunday morning, so we had a nice little getaway! The meeting went well, no hiccups this year! It was a little chilly for the first couple of days and it was rainy on Saturday, but it wasn't unbearable. We couldn't have ask Stratton to have been any better and it was great having my parents around to give us an extra hand!

 

[In front of a tree at the Chateau]

Thursday night after the meeting we went to see the comedian, Paul Harris. Stratton did pretty good, he was a little over stimulated I think! He just stared at the stage with the biggest eyes! There was a lot going on! About half way through he got fussy and my mom took him and walked with him for a little while till he fell asleep.

[Stratton went to his first show!]

Friday afternoon Jarrod and I went shopping at the outlet mall while my mom stayed in and watched Stratton. Then later that night we had dinner with Jarrod's sister and her husband, they just happened to be in town on a little getaway, too! We ate at the White River Outpost, at Branson Landing, which is one of our favorites. The best part is dessert! As you can see from the picture below Stratton really wanted some too! He just kept staring at Jennifer's cobbler with the saddest, most pathetic look on his little face!

Saturday we went to Springfield to the Bass Pro Shop, where Stratton took home a cute little stuffed bear that was completely slobber covered by the time we left and his first camo cap! After shopping and lunch we left BPS we went to visit my Uncle David and Aunt Paula who live in Springfield, they hadn't gotten a chance to meet Stratton yet! We had a nice visit and dinner with them before heading back and we ran by Branson Landing. Long story. . .but we shopped a little at the Landing and Stratton got to see Santa at the Bass Pro Shop at the Landing! Whew! What a long day!

[At BPS, Jarrod was parking the car, it was pouring rain!]

[Stratton loved his new bear and hat]

 

[shopping at the Landing]

We got up Sunday morning and grabbed breakfast and got on the road. We got home about 3:45pm and got the car unloaded, fed the baby and then off to church at 5pm! It was a busy weekend, but so much fun! It went by way too fast! I can't wait till next year, I am sure we will have a busy little boy running around by then and will probably have to go to Silver Dollar City!

 

Stratton meets Santa!

 We went to a "Cookies with Santa"  pajama party Saturday night at Eric and Kelly's house.  The kids (and adults, too) all seemed to have had a great time. Stratton was mesmerized by all the kids running around, and there were lots of  kiddos to watch!  He didn't mind being held by Santa, at all. Of course that isn't really surprising, he is so laid back.  We left the party around 6:30, he was getting really sleepy and I wanted to avoid the "I'm tired, please lay me down" fit. I wish we could have stayed longer! Everything was so nice, they did a great job decorating and there were tons of yummy cookies! Too bad Stratton didn't get to try any! Maybe next year!

[before we left for the party, he was excited to go see Santa!]

[ Invitations & matching favor bags with cookies and magic reindeer food, I put together. I was happy with the way they turned out, I think they were pretty cute.]

[Photo op in front of their tree!]

 

[Waiting for Santa to arrive!] 

[When he got there, Santa walked around and passed out candy before he sat down so the kids could sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas]

 

[Stratton told Santa he wants some hair for Christmas!]

Stratton says "Thank you , Sam,  for inviting me to your party, I had lots of fun!!"

this week in pictures. . .

[Thursday: thanksgiving]

[Monday: rolling around]

 

[Wednesday: sick baby]

 

[Friday: happy baby]

sick, sick, sick!

Sorry we've been mia. . .we've all had the crud, the croup, the cold. . .whatever you call it, we've had it, or still have it! After two weeks of it, I am finally feeling some better; but Jarrod and Stratton are both still struggling with congestion, a runny nose and Jarrod still has a sore throat. I hope we all get (and can stay) well soon, it really stinks when we are all sick at the same time!!

We did have  a good Thanksgiving. It's hard traveling around with a baby (especially one that is sick!). Those who know me well, know that I am rarely on time. . .well having a baby doesn't make it any easier! But we arrived at all of our stopping points safe and sound, and that is what's important! I felt so awful that I took a total of 2 pictures on Thanksgiving and guess who they are of??

Tis the season to be busy! We have so much going on this month! Our calendar is absolutely full! I love this time of year and wish there was more time to be able to enjoy it, but it's hard when there is so much to do and so many things going on! I will try to update as I can, but this is just a warning that my posts might be scarce in the next several weeks!