Christmas 2009

We spent Christmas in Pittsburgh, PA this year. Thanks to the great nor'easter, the city was blanketed by snow just in time for the big day. Colin got some use out of his still-too-big snowsuit:

Not only did I not post for almost two weeks, but I also forgot to take pictures of Colin on Christmas morning - yikes! Here are some pictures of him opening presents back at my parents' house the Sunday after:

Isn't he sweet? And we LOVE the Penguins sweater from Caitlin! After our first Penguins game this holiday, we decided that we wanted to get Colin interested in hockey. My family must have read our thoughts because he received the sweater and a Penguins hockey stick from my aunt and uncle within days!

My family lives a little outside of Pittsburgh, in a small town in Western PA. Western PA has produced a lot of big football talent, especially quarterbacks, but other than that, there's not a whole lot to be said. To get out and about one day we took a trip to the Beaver Valley Mall, where Colin took ride on a few of the quarter-rides:

Probably not the most sanitary things, but he was smiling! 

 It was nice to spend time with our family that we do not get to see a lot. And, of course, the food was great! I hope everyone had as great a Christmas as we did. Happy, healthy New Year (and decade!) to all!

12 Days of Christmas

First Day, One Messy Bedroom:

Chris and I were laying on the couch and decided to let him 'play' independently for a few minutes. This was the disaster we walked into!

Second Day, Crayons for Dinner:

Sometimes he writes on paper, sometimes he still tries to eat them. I don't think we are quite ready for art projects yet.

Third Day, 'A Puppy!'

Other than "mama", "mommy" and "baby", Colin's most commonly used word is "a puppy". He has also become very fond of his stuffed animals. He will carry as many as his little arms (and legs!) can hold! This puppy was from my Grandma and has quickly become one of his favorites!

Fourth Day, A Big Boy Potty!

We have placed a potty in each bathroom in the house in hopes that Colin will miraculously understand what it is for. This is a work in progress...

Fifth Day, My First Present of the Year!

I was shocked to see that he actually knew what to do. Well, other than sitting on the box. I didn't grab my camera in time but he actually made a good amount of progress on his own. 

This was a package from the Seamon family- Thank You! Inside was a book, 'If You Take a Mouse to the Movies', and the stuffed Mouse to go with it! The Mouse has also become one of Colin's favs and he sleeps with him every night!

Okay, so it was only 5 days not 12 but I'm sure I will have more to add soon! Enjoy your last few days of shopping, wrapping, and baking - isn't it the most wonderful time of the year?

Here Comes Santa Claus...

I'll admit it- I've been a bad blogger. We went to Pittsburgh this weekend for the UC/Pitt game and I FORGOT my camera! Unbelievable. I always have my camera. So no pictures and no blog from this weekend, sorry!

Recently, I've had a lot of requests for Christmas gift ideas for Colin. To be honest, the kid is very blessed, to say the least, and has more than enough toys to keep him busy! Here are a few ideas:

1) MONEY ::: I've opened a separate bank account for Colin and it is growing! You can help it grow by giving him a monetary gift for Christmas. 

2) DONATION FOR A CAR SEAT ::: Colin will soon pass the 20 lb. mark (finally!) which means he can upgrade to a big-boy car seat. Yes, he's still in an infant carrier. So if you don't want your monetary gift to just sit in an account and collect dust, you can donate it to the car seat fund!

3) CLOTHES ::: Even if Colin doesn't grow out of his current clothing size any time soon, warmer weather will be here again before we know it- and I'm hoping that will be sooner than later! Currently, he wears 12 mos., so for the summer 18 mos. should work. Sports attire for the Steelers and Bearcats will always be appreciated!

4) LEARNING ACTIVITIES ::: A kid can never have too many books! And think ahead too, he will be reading for years to come if I have anything to do with it. Also, he's not a big TV watcher, yet, but I wouldn't mind starting a Sesame Street DVD collection for him! 

Bonus Post!

I wasn't able to post to the blog while we were out-of-town, so here's a bonus round for all to enjoy!

Chris taught Colin to kick a ball while we were hanging out at his mom's house. Future soccer star? His Pap wouldn't have it any other way.

Turkey Day 2009 and Fort Wayne, IN

Since we will all be going into Pittsburgh for Christmas, we made a trip to Fort Wayne to see Chris' family for Thanksgiving. Chris has always said that it is one of his favorite holidays with his family so I was very excited to be a part of the festivities!

We arrived Wednesday evening and Mr. Colin proved to be very helpful in the kitchen. Here's a picture of him helping to prepare green beans with Chris and his Dad:

For the big day, we went to Michelle and Marc's - Chris' sister and brother-in-law's- house for dinner with the DeBolt side of the family.  Colin napped through the early dinner but we managed to set aside some of the turkey, sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes for him. As you already know, his allergies did not allow him to have everything but he was very THANKFUL for his hefty portion:

One of the best parts of Zahm household is the playroom. A kid could get lost in the thing for days! Colin found a little stroller to rest in and Miss Hudson pushed him around the playroom as if he were a little doll. He loved it!

Saturday morning, we joined Michelle, Marc, Hudson and Chris' mom, Diane, for Breakfast With Santa at the Pine Valley Country Club. It was great! Santa and Mrs. Claus came around to each table before reading the kids a story. Then we waited in line to sit on Santa's lap. Of course, it was already past our nap time so my little bandit did not have a very pleasant Santa photo shoot. He cried and cried and finally calmed down for us to get a few quick shots:

Isn't he handsome? 

First time with Santa!

Christmas picture? I don't think I'm ready to go that route just yet. Maybe next year!

Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was filled with great memories among your wonderful family and friends. I don't know about you, but I try daily to give thanks for the blessings He has bestowed me but I fall short of even that task! I'm glad that we have a holiday dedicated to giving Him thanks - because you can't have Thanksgiving without giving thanks!

"Give Thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done" 1 Chronicles 16:8

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Colin!

BabyGap makes these adorable, pop culture one-pieces for little guys and gals:

Before he took off flying around the room I was able to get him to pose for a few quick pictures. Nearly impossible these days! Hopefully his super powers will be able to help us all get better before the holidays. We're both home sick again!

Colin-Proofing and Butt-Proofing Adventures

Yes, I said "butt". Colin and the other little boys at daycare are now sharing a stomach bug that has left Colin's little behind as red as a tomato. I cringe every time I change the poor little guy! Your cringing now, aren't ya? 

I have heard that rubbing Maalox or other such antiacids on a baby's bottom using a cotton ball will help to reduce the irritation because it lessens the acidity just as it does in the GI. Very interesting! We were willing to give anything a try. Two days later, the redness has all but disappeared and diaper changings are MUCH easier. 

In between diaper changes, we finally got around to baby-proofing the cabinets. We have lived in the condo since April and I have been putting off and putting off the annoying baby-proof locks as long as I could. I was hoping we could reach an understanding but one-year-olds do not come to understandings, as it turns out. Therefore, we opted for the locks. 

Leave it to Mr. Colin to get passed them: 

 

Don't worry, we were able to fix it. And our condo is now officially Colin-proof. For now. 

Favorite Moments

I recently just compiled and organized ALL of the pictures from Colin's first year. VERY tedious. I was amazed how much he has grown and changed in such a short time! They sure do grow fast and it has been quite a ride! I have been very blessed to have been a part of it. Here are a few (just a few!) of my favorites:

I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did! And one more just for giggles:

Here We Go Steelers!

In preparation for the big game, Colin has been practicing his Steelers' Touchdown Victory Dance. It goes a little something like this:

Sorry it's sidewise, I think. Oh well. Go Steelers! WE DEY!

A Traveling Man

This weekend, we packed up our bags and headed to Chicago! Of course, little Colin was happy to go along for the ride and get his first look at a BIG city. The weather was surprisingly warm so there was no need for these:

One of my neighbors kept saying he was a 'beautiful little girl' so maybe I should get rid of the hat anyway. But back to the trip...Mr. Personality kept the city of Chicago in good spirits. If you passed him in his stroller, you got a little wave and playful smile. You would be surprised how many people waved back! I think it really put a little hop in their step. 

We walked around Millennium Park, strolled down Navy Pier and gorged ourselves at the renowned Giordano's because you can't get go to Chicago and not try the deep-dish pizza. I wish I had taken a picture so you could see the size of this thing! Chris asked for a large and they laughed at him. Huge I tell ya!

Me and the squirmy, little guy at Navy Pier

It was nice to see the sights and explore Chicago, but the rush of the big city made me happy to be back home in Cincinnati!

NOOOOO!

So I just figured out how to post videos on the blog - yay! They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but there are definitely moments when a video says a LOT more. You can't always capture the cuteness!

Here's a look at one of Colin's first 'NO' responses:

GENIUS I tell ya! It's amazing what their little minds can comprehend! They are always watching, always listening, always processing. Monkey see, monkey do. Hopefully potty-training will be this easy!

Trick or Treat - But Hold the Peanuts!

This was Colin's first TRUE Halloween. He was around for last year but was way too little - he slept through the entire night! Since we live in a condo, we went to my mom and dad's neighborhood so we could show him off in his MICKEY MOUSE costume! So cute! I knew that this would be one of the few Halloweens that I actually get to pick out his attire so I took advantage. Enjoy!

Ready to go...

Nightmare on Wooded Knoll Drive!

I had to chase him around to get a decent picture

Trying to get away from Pap and Nana. The boy never stops!

Happy Halloween to all! Enjoy your treats!

Take a Peak!

For all of you who have not been able to visit our new home just yet, here's a sneak peak at Mr. Colin's bedroom: