This year for Christmas we were down in Miami, away from the snow and cold. I am still having to adjust to a non-cold Christmas even after eight(?) years of doing it!

We spent pretty much our entire visit just trying to soak up time with the loved ones so everyone got to meet Ewan and hang out together. The newest members of the family, cousin Ben only 9 months old, and Ewan spent a lot of time together, sharing toys. You get lots of pictures because what’s more cute than one baby? two babies!

We had a very short photo session with the two of them outside and it was hilariously ineffective. Ewan was easy, because he can’t move and just sits there, he has no choice. Ben is constantly on the move though. We’d put him on the blanket and he’d crawl the wrong way, no matter where we put him, he’d crawl a different direction, immediately. Finally once we put them on the grass they were both very curious about what it was that they were sitting on that they sat still to examine it. And then laugh at us making funny faces at them.

It was also warm enough that we went swimming! Well those of us from Boston did, plus Ben and Sonya.

And we weren’t even the only ones in the pool! Ewan liked swimming and didn’t seem to mind the chilly water. Josie is tall enough to walk around the shallow end just barely now and Celia enjoyed being carried around the pool.

And exactly the day after I write the last post about Ewan he’s got some new tricks! He got his second tooth! And now he’s managed to pull himself up to standing on a laundry basket. He can get up on his hands and feet and even get himself back into a sitting position after falling on his tummy. Walking and crawling are coming soon!

Over the last two weeks Ewan has been changing by leaps and bounds. A week ago Saturday he got his first tooth through the gums! yay for all of us, especially hoping he gets back to sleeping more. He has also moved on from sitting alone, but tipping over regularly, to being able to sit for a long time and move to a hands and knees position and back again by himself. He can get his foot underneath himself and today even pulled himself up to standing on a very full laundry basket. The days of having a happy baby who sits and plays with toys are now over, he just whines to get moving. In case you’re wondering when global warming sped up so much, these pics are from Florida. It’s 5 degrees and day one of a blizzard keeping us snowed in here in Boston right now.

And here’s another new trick I’ll let the video show.

From our family to yours! Hope you have a day of peace and love!

Thursday Ewan turned a whopping 5 months old! He’s growing and changing so quickly these days. You can literally see the change in clothes overnight at times. He’s into the 9 months clothes now for anything that’s one piece, the 6 month separates can still get on but are a bit short for keeping out the winter time chill. He has become a solid sitter in this last month and can sit for a long time without toppling over. Now he mostly falls forward because he’s trying to reach for something and lands on his own hands rather than smacking his head or face. I still keep a pillow behind him to prevent hard hits from when he tries to stand all of a sudden which just shoots his torso backwards into the floor. We have now had  the glory days of a baby that is happy to sit and play with toys. He’s getting very frustrated now that he can’t get up and move, he watches us and wants in on this deal.

He’s starting to learn how to better make his wishes know. Wishes like, mommy pick me up, or give me to mommy, or why is someone holding me who is not mommy? He holds his arms out to me now which is so adorable and effective at getting me to pick him up. He is not tolerating anyone else well right now which is a bummer, but it will pass just like it did with the girls. He’s learned to get comfortable on my back in the carrier so that’s a major plus for me getting things done around the house like dishes and laundry while he needs to be held. He has been napping back there too!

Vocally he’s very loud and has lots to say when he’s upset. He makes loud annoying repetative noises when he wants to be picked up or needs a diaper change, not exactly surprising that it works. He loves to watch us eat and chews along with us. He won’t often stand for sitting in the high chair now, he wants to be held during meals. It will be nice to start feeding him some solids next month so he’ll be busy while we eat too. He wants every toy that everyone else has. It’s gonna be a big adjustment when he can start moving! I keep trying to warn the girls how things are going to have to change and be cleaned up better. He’ll love it when he can get to me whenever he wants to, unlike now when he’s so sad to be accross the room from me!

Ewan was there first.

Ezzy only let me take a few pictures before she relocated. Can’t be caught being too cute with the baby, we might think she likes him.

And an extra one because he’s cute.

And an extra extra one because he’s such a good sitting duck for my photography. He doesn’t run away on me or even look away. The only challenge is keeping him smiling while I get behind the camera rather than looking him right in the eye. He is not a fan when mommy ‘disappears’.

I got the kids new shirts for Hanukah. They are cute, and possibly useful to my grandmother with Alzheimers. See for yourself why. They had fun for a while.

And commencing crying in… 3… 2…1…

I’ve been trying to take more photos from one of the kids perspective.

And up close?

Getting out the door takes a while these days now. Here’s us on an attempt to go to Quebrada last weekend. We haven’t felt well enough to go this weekend yet. Still not eating regularly, Celia is barely eating at all. Lots of soup and crackers for us and plain food.