Roly-Poly Tummy

Ethan is such a joy. He is a very happy baby. I feel bad that he spends so much time in his swing, but he always has a smile for me when I come to get him out. He is getting better at floor time...especially tummy-time. He is so strong. He will lift his head up so high it is almost touching his back. He has also started reaching out and grasping things. Yesterday, for the first time, I got his Pooh keys out and helped him get a hold of them. He was able to keep hold of them and bring them to his mouth to chew on them. He enjoys that very much. He has become a very drooly boy, too. Nick wondered if he was teething already; which is usually the first thought when a baby starts drooling. However, I reminded him that babies start drooling in preparation of eating solid foods; it is the first step in digestion.
While having tummy-time on the floor, Ethan will lift his head, arms, and legs, so that all that is touching the floor is his round little tummy. This, of course, makes him roll back and forth and turn in a circle. It is so funny to watch. I will put him on the floor, and within a few minutes, he has rotated 180 degrees!

They boys and I made a paper chain on Monday to start the Christmas count-down. Each morning we take a link off and Joey counts how many days are left until Christmas. Today there are twenty days left. Joey is getting better and counting to higher numbers. He still skips from fifteen to seventeen, and from nineteen to twenty-one. But he is getting better.

Ethan has his four-month check up scheduled for Monday the 22nd. I am excited to see how much he has grown. He has really filled out lately and is feeling quite solid.

Speaking of doctor's.....Nick will be going in for surgery on the 16th. He will be out of work for the rest of that week, and then he is on vacation for the week of Christmas, so he will have lots of time to recuperate. He will be on light duty for another week when he returns, but as most of his work is done at his desk anyway, it shouldn't be too bad. I think the hardest part of recovery will be keeping the boys from climbing all over him. They will have their Daddy home for so long but not be able to really play with him as they like to.

We will be getting our Christmas tree this weekend, so by Monday we should be all decorated. Maybe that will make me feel more Christmasy. I haven't even listened to much Christmas music. I used to listen to it nearly all year long. Now, I hardly listen to it for more than a couple weeks. I miss feeling like Christmas. It is amazing how much having family around is what makes me feel like Christmas. This will be my third Christmas away, and I have missed my family tremendously each year.

Christmas cards were sent out on Monday, but a handful of them came back needing even more postage than the extra postage we put on, so I will take them to the post office this weekend and get them sent out.

I better go hold Ethan...he sounds as if he needs a snuggle. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.