11 Months 3 Weeks 1 Day

Wow! It's been a month already since I last posted! I can't believe time has flown by so fast! Christopher is now less than 2 weeks away from his 1st birthday. I've been slowly getting everything ready. I sent invitations out yesterday and have bought a few party things. I still need to buy his birthday and Christmas gifts, which I'm going to (hopefully) do this week. I've almost got everything picked out and just need to make a trip to Toys 'R Us. His party is going to be on Saturday, December 16 at our house. I'm not throwing anything big. I sent out 8 invitations that covers a total of 13 adults and 4 kids (plus Christopher, Shad and myself). I'm pretty sure that a few of them won't be able to make it. I need to order the cake and his smash cake. That's the part I can't wait for! I just know he's gonna LOVE digging in! I haven't allowed him to eat any cake yet so that his birthday will be the first time. We'll definitely be taking lots of pictures!

Shad and I just celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary last Saturday (Dec. 2)! I can't believe it's been that long already! This time 6 years ago, we were nearing the end of our cruise to the Bahamas. I believe we returned on Dec. 7. We had so much fun and would like to go on another one someday. Who knows when that will be, though.

We still haven't put up Christmas decorations...inside or outside. Even at 9 months pregnant last year, I had everything done before now! It's been hard, though, since I'm now working a part-time holiday job at Zale's. I've been working every weekend since Thanksgiving. We can't do much during the week since Shad doesn't get home until after dark. It's going to be fun setting everything up this year since I'm going to have to find a new place for all of Christopher's toys. We just don't have much space in our house for everything! I really hope we don't have a problem with Christopher and the tree! I'm planning on not putting any lights down low and only putting ornaments that he can play with within his reach. Everything else will just have to be put up high.

As previously mentioned, I'm now working part-time at Zale's. It's been very stressful and not the most enjoyable of jobs, so I doubt that I'll ever work there again. I worked at the one at Hickory Hollow Mall in Nashville 7 years ago and had a TOTALLY different experience! It is definitely all in the manager and how he/she runs everything! This one I've got doesn't seem to know what she's doing. Plus, for all the "duties" I'm supposed to have (but am still learning), the pay is CRAPPY! I made a LOT more when I worked with them before! Speaking of pay...I've been working there for about a month now and STILL haven't received my first paycheck! Grrr!

I'm finding with this job that I do not want to work retail! Especially during the Christmas season! I know we've made it almost a year without me working, but I'm still going to have to find something at least part-time after New Year's. I'm thinking that I'll look into either working at a daycare or keeping 1 or 2 kids in my home. I'm really hoping come next Fall that I can get in with my church's preschool program. Christopher will be old enough and if they have any job openings, I can work there and get a discount for him. If he'd been born in August instead of December, he would've been eligible to start this year. And they DID have an opening that I could've taken.

I haven't completely decided yet, but for Christopher's birthday and Christmas gifts, I'm planning to get him the StepStart Walk 'n Ride by Playskool, the Laugh & Learn: Home Phone, a piano of some kind and hopefully a Little People's set. We've decided not to go overboard since (1) he doesn't know what's going on anyway and (2) other people will be getting him stuff. As previously mentioned, we don't have much room (if any), so we need to keep things limited.

Christopher's milestones include pulling up and cruising very well. He's stood on his own one time, but in the last couple of days, I've been working with him. He CAN do it, but he's just not confident enough to try more often. Anytime I get him to stand by himself, I cheer and make a big deal out of it hoping that will encourage him to keep trying. He walks very well holding our hands with both our fingers (1 from each hand), but is a little wobbley still when only using 1 finger. I'm still working with him, though, so he'll get there eventually. Several people have said that they think he'll be walking by Christmas, but I think it'll be more like after New Year's. I'm looking forward to it, yet at the same time don't want to rush him. I'm afraid once he starts walking...and then running...there'll be no rest for me! LOL! It's not so bad right now with him crawling. His main problem area is our tv and dvr. He likes to turn the tv on and off (the front panel except for the power button is locked) and press the buttons to the dvr. He's already messed up a program that I had set up to record. We probably need to find some kind of baby-proofing that will keep him away from those buttons.

Christopher just went back to the doctor's office on Monday for the 2nd flu shot. He cried, of course, but was fine after a few minutes. He didn't want anything to do with the nurse afterward, though! We go back for his 12 month check-up on December 21. One year ago from that day was the day we brought him home from the hospital. It all seems like it was just yesterday! Wow!

Well, Christopher's finding trouble, so I'd better go tend to him. Plus, I think I'm in store for yet another dirty diaper! PU!