Jenn was fabulous once again and sat with Cory yesterday while I ran errands. I finally got to the grocery store and got some fresh fruits and veggies. We haven’t had much because we had been so busy and eating out a lot.  It’s nice to have fruit around the house. Cory loves it.  He’s starting to figure out clemintines- and that we don’t bite into it like an apple. I also ran around and finally found some toy shelves I like. So now our living/ play room has expanded past the one shelf. Jay put them together for me last night and I sat and reorganized. It took a bit to see how it would fit and what looked best, but I think we’ve got it worked out. Cory seems so much more interested when I move his things around. It’s actually almost the same as rotating toys. Just rotate where they are. I like the small bins and have a place for the bigger stuff.

We then took off for the Rishels and enjoyed a few hours of dinner and family and exchanged gifts with Gail and Bryon. She looks so uncomfortable and seems to be trying her best to stay healthy and eat healthy with the diabetes. Cory got new elephant books. Of course he squeeled “ele-sen” when he saw them. Unfortunately, we got word that Gail had to go the hosptial for IV. I guess she’s having a tough time with this pregnancy. Prayers they both stay healthy and make it through. She’s 25 weeks now. 26 weeks is higher rates of viability for a premie.

We went for a family hair cut this morning- just as a wedding party was arriving, but they were good about getting to us with whoever wasn’t busy. Jay and Cory watched a little of our new DVD, WALL-E. He thinks it’s a truck…like anything with wheels. Now he’s resting until we head off for the next family visit. I didn’t hear much about how the Osborne Florida family’s Chirstmas went, but I’m sure I’ll catch up with my mom once she’s done being on the road transporting Dan. Hope he had a good Christmas as Pusto.

Though Cory wasn’t too interested in opening presents, he sure liked some of the toys he got.

On Christmas Eve we visited with Jay’s Boyd grandparents, Uncle Rick, Aunt Katie, and Matt, his cousin. Cory got books and a bus. He really liked the Thomas the Train book with the button pushing exylophone.

He liked opening the doors and loading the poeple in and out of his bus- Even though he called it a truck at first.

I got a call from Leann. I haven’t seen her since Cory was born. She’s getting engaged. Looks like there’s going to be a lot of weddings this year.

Cory has some bed time stories and was pretty tuckered out from his evening of running around cricles at Grandma Boyds.

Christmas morning we gave Cory breakfast- which he was not too happy about. He obviously didn’t want cheesey eggs. Jay got the video camera. We sat on the floor and went through his stocking. It was hard to get him to sit down, but he seemed very interested in the stickers, then saw the stampers and ran to his bed room to go try them out on his easel. I brought him back  to the presents and I’d open one and he’d play with them as I got them out. He went through the books. He played with his cars. Cory continued to play cars as Jay and I exchanged gifts. I got new wine and martini glasses- since he broke all mine in the dishwasher. Real crystal too. He got new Neil Stephenson and Neil Gaiman books and two Sat cooking classes.  I also got geeky chocoloate. Oh yes, if you thought there was one thing that Jay couldn’t geekify, it was good chocolate. However, my whole stocking was filled with Tcho chocolates. They are specially selected to taste nutty, or fruity, or citrus depending on where the nuts were harvested and how they are fermented. All science and very geeky. They are dark, and a little bit goes a long way. I also got a new insulated sippy travel bad which was very handy Christmas day dragging his milk around. Water I don’t mind being warmer, but milk can go bad! Espcially his organic whole milk. As I started to pick up, Jay took Cory outside to suprize him with his bike! He didn’t have the reaction we wanted of jumping for joy- but hecame out. looked at it and said- bike, as he proceded to climb aboard. Jay took him for a push around the neighborhood and I got a few minutes to drink my coffee.

After his short nap, we loaded him and all the presents up to go to Baltimore. Cory loved Uncle David’s train set and wanted it run all the time. On top of the TV and music and talking- it got rather noisy! He didn’t seem so interested in opening gifts, but he saw an elmo sticking out of a bag and helped himself! The boy will never tier of elmo. He also got a dancing singing dog whose ears flop up and down. Cory found that button quick. There were Pjs and shirts- with elmo. Jay and I got sweaters and I got very comfy sweat suit. There also were a snow globe and paper weight with Cory’s picture inside. Very clever! Of course he got tons of books and then chased poor ol’ Max around. Surprisingly to anyone who knows my cousin Chris, he played with Cory the most. He’s become very interested in working with preschoolers and early childhood education. His work is getting him certified and he hopes to be a director. Greg just seemed tired from working until 2 in the morning.

We packed up and went to the Rishels. Cory fell asleep in the car about half way there. I wish I did. We were all tired and Cory wasn’t very nice about presents. We gave Lena a  digital camera. Cory- even though he was a tired and hungry brat- did eventually get a second wind. He was very excited about his Sesame Street bed time DVD and Horton DVD- that I managed to over unwrap as the plastic cover came off and Jay tred on it! It works though! He got books  with touchy feelly things and songs. Most of the morning he’s been playing with his race cars! He got the little tonka cars and track.  Many a thing has gone down that track this morning. He also has been pushing around his wooden jumping frogs from Lena. He may not have seen very happy about his toys and presents yesterday, but he’s been very excited at home. Gail and Bryon should be coming in today. It all depends on how her belly check up goes -now that she’s developed gestational diabetes.  Over all it was a little solomn at the Rishels even with Lena and Cory running around. Dick spent most of his time on the phone trying to organize his fathers funeral. With all the weddings to plan this year, it was terribly sad to get a call that Jay’s grandfather passed away early Christmas morning.

I am glad to have some time off and Jay even at work today, I can organize, go through clothes and toys and see what is getting donated to good will.  Kid stuff piles up fast! I have so much to scrub and clean. I’m just glad to have time to do it instead of being angry that there’s no time! It’s a good feeling to be home with a clean house and laundry put away and dishes clean. Now I’m looking into errands to run with Cory before this evening as we visit the Rishel’s again. I’m hoping to find another shelf for Cory’s toys. I am rotating toys ,but some are big and I just don’t have the space, but he likes them too much to not leave them out for him to play with. That’s what they’re for! He should have his toys out to play with. The big problem is that I just refuse to have a toy box full of crap, where he can’t find anything and pieces go missing. I like the cube shelf system where I can keep bits together and it’s organized. Just hard to get the larger toys in a 14×14 in box.

We have video footage of Cory’s christmas morning, but I’ll have to wait until Jay can digitize it before I can post it up.

A busy afternoon as we missed seeing our friends the Colemans because of Jay stuck in traffic, and just stuck to our evening plan. We had dinner with the grandparents and Jenn and saw the lights at Rocky Ridge. It was nice, but cold and Cory seemed tired, but looked around as he was held. I thought he’d be more excited. He mostly seemed interested, but not running around in glee. He did point at Santa and watch the trains go around in the buildings in between. The trains are always neat. Traffic was pretty bad as others rushed to get last minute presents as we went past the mall. Jenn and us exchanged presents. Cory got a sit n’ spin. Jay got juggling  book and things, I got new scarves and gloves. She’ll be out of the pictures for a while as she visits family out of state. I’m tired and glad to be home. I brought my lesson plans to do here and brought the hermit crabs home. Pippin is enjoying the company and entertainment this evening. Jay’s hiding and probably wrapping my presents. Cory is zonked on his first day at 19 months and probably will sleep hard. Cory and I will have the whole day to relax tomorrow. I might do some cleaning and vacuuming.  You know how those pine needles are! It’ll be busy the next couple of days, but we’re all excited to visit and exchange gifts. Happy Holidays everyone!

Jay and I really haven’t pushed Cory at all in learning. He would show interest in something and we’d help him expand upon it. Suddenly he seems interested in letters. He does have a magnet letter set and alphabet books, but it wasn’t something we drilled or worked on frequently.  He presses letters on a toy apple with letter buttons that say a thing’s name that starts with the letter or make it’s sound. It was a Jenn present. In the tub the other day he had foam letters and I spelled his name “C” I said and he’d repeat me. “O, R, Y”. He repeated them with enthusiasm as he fished the letters out of the CORY soup of a tub. When Jay came home, I tried to show off Cory  knowing the letters of his name. I put up a C and he said it.  He identified the Y best. R had been forgotten and O was “oval.” Oh well. His sentences are becoming clearer. Today he said “Penny’s outside. Cold.” and “Where’s Daddy? I want Daddy.”

I have lost about 8 pounds and am fitting in to my clothes better. It’s hard not to eat all the snacks filling the rooms I enter because of the holidays. Cory is enjoying all the Holiday cards coming in. I didn’t set them up or tape them to walls this year. I just keep a pile on the table and let Cory play with them. He loves getting cards. Christmas shopping is done, and all but a few are wrapped and ready to be delivered. Jay put together Cory’s bike and is anxious to give it to him. He got presents at church today from the nursery teachers and Grandma and other adopted grandparents. He seemed confused at first, but started to figure out how to tear the paper- liked the paper.  It was good practice.

Jay and I got to read the advent wreath and light the candles at church. I felt honored. Cory was just a wound up little boy who couldn’t control anything during church. I blame the presents and excitement. At least we go to the Children’s Story before I shoved a pacifier in his mouth for the first time in a long time. Jenn was with us most of the weekend because Jay and I went to a Yule party at Trevor’s house in MD. I had some wasailing punch. I had a great time visiting those I don’t see often and catching up. Cristy asked me to be a bridesmaid, and I hope to throw her an engagement party once the weather warms up a bit and after the busy holidays. Jenn’s been really a great help and I’m so glad she’s here and such a good friend. It certainly is nicer raising children with more family and friends around.

Jenn came over and spend the night in the ice and little snow that came down as we decorated the house. We’re hoping to use some of the pictures to send with out Christmas cards. Cory sort of got the idea of how to decorate the tree when we showed him what to do. Mostly he thought the horns and bikes were for playing with. He was pretty cranky that night from all the stimulation. He cried for quite a while around midnight. I’m not sure how he’ll do with the holidays, but it was fun pulling out Christmas stuff. I also had to pick up the house some to get up all the dust, pet hair and needles. Cory gets wierd about the vacuum, Jay found it funny enough to document the “domesticated woman.”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrishel/3094370468/

We got some cute shots that may not be nice family pictures, but nice of either of us with Cory or just Cory. Any choices for one to put in the cards?

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrishel/sets/72157610935181744/