A Christmas Card & Lucas versus Santa

It's been a while I know.  Been plenty busy the past month.  And hopefully I'll get to more of that another time.  But it's that time of year to present not only our Christmas card but Lucas' lovely photo with Santa!

Hehe...  Love it!

He had not had a nap ALL day long and was really difficult during this photo shoot.
So this was by far the best shot we got, and it's a good thing we got it.
Love that Goofy face!

And now a comparison of Lucas' picture with Santa from last year and this year...

Yes, that's the same Santa {as if it would be a different Santa...!} and both years were some great photos...  Haha.  No, we did not actually get any shots of Lucas "happy".  He cried the whole time.  But it's cool to have these moments documented all the same.  My poor baby!  :)

366: May

[ January   February   March   April ]

366: April

[ January   February  March ]

Half Birthday!

Lucas is SIX months young!

Yes, I'm THAT mom that gets him a little cake for his half birthday.  And in fact, I actually tried to find one of those half cakes that the grocery store's sell.  Except all they had were the fancy ones and I just wanted a simple white/vanilla cake or something.  So unfortunately this geeky mom didn't get to give him a half cake for his half birthday.  :(

Today, Lucas went in for his six month checkup and had to get shots!  He was so great and barely cried.  I think Hubby would have cried more.  Here are the results from his six month checkup:

Weight: 16lb 9.5oz (25%) - 1.75lb increase from 5 months!

Length: 26-1/2in (75%) - only 1/2in increase from 5 months

Head: 43-1/2cm (50%) - 1.5cm increase from 5 months

** The Doctor thinks he didn't grow in length as much probably because he hasn't hit his growth spurt yet.  No worries!

Now, a few words from Lucas himself...

My Milestones!

I am an Eating Machine!  Just three weeks ago I was eating a half tub of baby food twice a day at school.  Now I'm eating a full tub each feeding!  And now that I'm six months old and have gone through all of Gerber's 1st Foods I just now started their 2nd Foods.  Mama and Nana just went on a shopping spree and got me a bunch to try.  I think we're stocked for the next month!

Since the last check-in I've also tried:

• Green beans
• Pears **
• Carrots
• Peaches
• Peas - second attempt!  Which was a flop
• Prunes **
• Garden Vegetables - first of the Gerber's 2nd Foods

** Hehe, I've had two diaper explosions after eating prunes.  Mama made the mistake of giving me a full tub instead of just a half tub.  I think she's learned her lesson.  But I do have to say this much...  Prunes may have the messiest diapers (nothing else has compared) BUT Pears has them beat for smelliest diapers (gas mask please!).

And because I'm getting so much bigger I just went up to Size 3 Huggies.  I have a package of 2's left over but they were getting snug.  And Mama is getting my new 6-9 month clothes ready for me to wear.  A whole new wardrobe, cool!

I'm really chatty even though I don't have any real words to say yet. Although Mama seems to understand me well enough. I do say "Hi" and "Hey" a lot - that's how Mama interprets it anyway! And she thinks that some of my jumbled words are "I luv you" and I just let her think that so I can hear her say "I love you too!"

I've graduated from a Supported Sitter to a Sitter!  I've been sitting up really well on my own recently.  The length of time that I stay sitting before I fall is increasing too (because I'm bound to fall, right?).  But really, I haven't been falling much.  I'm just not able to actually get up on my own to sit.

Sitting in my toy basket

I forgot to mention that last month we celebrated St. Patrick's Day but I didn't really get to do much.  For some reason it was more of a Big Person holiday and they went and crawled without me since apparently I can't crawl yet.  But I got to spend a whole night with Nana and Grandpa!   

So this month we celebrated my first Easter and I got to visit my Great-Great-Grandmother in West Virginia.  I got a few Easter baskets with a LOT of cool stuff, and I also got two chocolate bunnies, but I didn't get to eat them yet.  Again, I'm not big enough I guess.

Lucas with Grandma Ada

I've also grown out of my Hammock this month.  I had some good times with Hammy but now I get more space in my Prison...er, I mean, Pack 'n Play.  I'm getting used to it though.  I get lots of room to play with my toys or circle around on my tummy.

We also had our first professional family photos taken!  I got to meet a 'sister' of Mama's and she was PRETTY! Her and her hubby are a photo duo team and we got to spend some time outside on a pretty day.  I got to sit and lay around while they just took my photo.  How easy of a job is that?

Isn't it funny how I've gotten TOO BIG for some things and yet I'm not BIG ENOUGH for others?  This being a kid thing can get frustrating.  But I've been told that I shouldn't grow up too fast.  This being a kid thing can also have its benefits!

And lastly, Still no teeth!

Officially a Family

We recently had professional photos taken of our new family!

I am in love with the results. <3

Thanks Lucy and Steven for such a fun time and great photos.  

Even Hubby enjoyed himself.  ;) 

Please visit Smitten & Hooked to see how fabulous they are at photography!
We attended their Spring Mini-Session on a gorgeous day.

Here's the proof: Our first professional family portrait.

Afternoon Shoot, Duke Gardens

Another event for the second Photography Club I joined in the area.  {Another 101 in 1001.}

I've been to Duke Gardens once before.  It's where I had my Maternity Photos taken!

This time I got to run crazy and was able to do so being fifty pounds lighter.  :)  This place is HUGE with so much to see.  The first time around we were there for only an hour and only saw maybe a quarter of the gardens.  With it being Spring they have so many gorgeous spots that are photogenic.

And again I only walked around taking photos for an hour.  It was surprisingly hot.  I didn't see anything new from the last time.  I guess I'll just have to go back again.

Here are some of my favorites of 247 shots.  I had a lot of fun with the Sun this time and the way the light would shine.  Enjoy!

Evening Shoot, Downtown Raleigh

One of my goals for my 101 in 1001 is to Take a Photography Class.

Well, they cost money for some reason.  So until I find the right class I came across this site, MeetUp.com.  I had done yet another Google search for "photography clubs" in my area.  I found two!  And one was meeting up in Downtown Raleigh for an Evening/Night shoot.

I removed all photos from my Canon after making sure they had all been uploaded.  Packed up the camera bag and drove in rush hour traffic into Raleigh.  It really wasn't that bad of a drive, but still, 30 miles in one hour is ridiculous.  I arrived at my destination meeting at a local bar.  I made it early since I gave myself plenty of time and was the second one there, after the organizer.  

I had myself a beer (first one of my 50 New Beers goal!) and we waited for other arrivals.  We had a total of seven club members appear.  Then we were off to walk around the city!  Here are my best of the 219 photos I took.

Something I don't like (Pet Peeve)

The definition from Wikipedia:  A pet peeve (or pet hate) is a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to him or her, to a greater degree than others may find it.

The reason I bring this up is because for my Photo a Day challenge from fat mum slim for April 17 is "Something I don't like".  And well, there are plenty of things I don't like.  But one thing in particular has been brought up recently, and well, really it lingers in the air all the time for me.  And because this post is about a Pet Peeve you can expect to hear me rant, so be forewarned.  However, I will try not to get heated!

Hi, my name is Patricia.  But you can call me Trisha.  

Trisha (or Tricia) is a derivative of the name Patricia, a "nickname" if you will.

Those are the ONLY two names I introduce myself as.  Don't think you know me well enough to call me anything else.  Particularly Pat or Trish.  This particular Pet Peeve is geared toward "Trish".  You see, the Trouble with Trisha, is that it further gets shortened to Trish.  I don't hear Pat that often because professionally I choose to go by my nickname, Trisha, just for that very reason.

So, as I was saying.  I don't like to be called Trish.  I never introduced myself to You as "Trish", so why are you calling me "Trish"??  Don't think you have the right to shorten my nickname any further because chances are you don't know me well enough to do so.  Even if you THINK you know me well enough.  My marrying into your family still does not give you special rights to call me that.  Nope, not at all.

Yeah, so part of that problem was that when Hubby and I started dating he introduced me to his family as "Trish" and being the great gal that I am and trying to impress the family I never corrected him or them.  Well, I've been doing a LOT of correcting lately.  I had that talk with Hubby way back to never introduce me as "Trish", but unfortunately the damage had been done and it stuck.  And whenever his family introduces me to yet more family or friends I again get introduced incorrectly.  So, as I've said, I've been doing a lot of correcting lately.  I've tried to make it clear to them now and I'm not afraid to do so.

Now, after having said all this, there is a very short list of those that I allow to call me "Trish", and that would be my family.  My family, as in my blood relatives.  They've known me all my life.  Again, not the in-laws.  And maybe, just maybe, some very close personal friends of mine.  The only other exception to this "rule" is a nickname I earned in high school from a teacher, who gave EVERYONE nicknames.  Usually it was just adding "Sue" after their name for the gals, but I was lucky I guess.  I had something to rhyme with my name.  Thus, I was called "Trish the Dish".  :)  That, and only that, is an acceptable use of the form "Trish".  It is flattering, so why not?  Thanks Coach Johnson!

Do you have a pet peeve?  Please share - I don't want to be in the wrong when it comes to you.  :)

Day 17 Photo a Day April Challenge

Hoppy Easter

Lucas' first Easter, and his picture with the Bunny.

Photo a day Challenge [fat mum slim]

So I just found this cool Photo a Day Challenge from a blogger in Australia [fat mum slim] and it runs off of a list for each day of something you should take a photo of, and it's very different than my current photo challenge that I am doing for the year [366 Views].

I really like the fact that there is a list each month with a topic for each day.  And you can interpret the topic any way you want to in the form of you picture.  Oh, and you should only use your camera phone too.  I have an Android phone and unfortunately Instagram is not available on it yet [ :( ] so I will share on my blog.

I'm starting late to this challenge since we're already on day five, but I'm excited because with this photo challenge I think majority of the photos will probably be things not-so-much baby or Lucas related.  I know, I know.  He's my everything.  But I need to take pictures of other things too.  But don't worry, I'm not stopping my other photo challenge.  I'm challenging myself to do both.  And I look forward to the days and months to come.

366: March

[ January  February ]

Desktop Plaque

&nbsp; Desktop Plaque

Quick and easy: Christmas photo card creation at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

366: February

[ January ]

366: January

366: Week 2+

366: Week 1

366 Preview

I will be doing the popular "365 Day Photo Challenge" that so many others are doing, except that this is a Leap Year so really it's 366 days.  I've decided to use Shuttercal.com to make it an actual daily photo calendar.  And I can't commit to actually having all my photos posted each day so I will put up my updated calendar as I go.  So my committment would be to have each month's calendar posted monthly, but I may have it up as often as weekly as a snapshot.

Of course I take tons of pictures of Lucas either on my phone or with our new camera so you better believe that most of the 366 pictures will be of him.  But I may throw in a few others here and there.

So here is a preview of what's to come - the last three days (first three days of the year!).