Winter Update

I'm feeling guilty again that it has been so long since my last post.  I don't think I've ever gone quite so long without posting.  The Christmas season is just SO busy for my business, which is great, but stressful and leaves time for little "extras" like keeping up with my blogs.

I'll start where I last left off-- Halloween.  Halloween was a lot of fun.  Eliot was a firefighter and we dressed up Brandon as a firefighter K9 dog.  I think Brandon might have had more fun trick-or-treating than Eliot.  He loved going from house to house!  I took them down one street and then came back to the house and Ted took them down our street; this way one of us could be at home for all the trick-or-treaters which was so exciting for us since we never had any in our old condo!  There were a lot (we didn't count, but I wish we had) and I have to remember for next year to either buy more candy or only give out one piece!

It's  not just my blog that I don't keep up with-- it's the photos too! The next bunch of photos I have are from November 22nd when I took some for our Christmas card.  I set up my portable studio downstairs and Eliot and I had some fun:

 I also want to post a photo of Eliot's first official school picture!  I guess some of the parents weren't very happy with the way their child's photo turned out and the teachers asked me if I would be interested in doing the school photos next year (which of course I said yes, even though it will add to my already heavy Fall load).  However, Eliot's school photo came out PERFECT!  I only WISH I could get him to smile like this for my camera!

Next up are our Christmas photos.  We had a nice Christmas this year.  Eliot, of course, was super excited, but he might have said the oddest/funniest thing I've ever heard.  Ever since Eliot turned four, he's been a bit more challenging to parent.  We never really had terrible twos or threes, but four has been hard.  It's mostly his listening skills that need improvement-- major improvement.  We have an Elf on The Shelf, Digger, who came to our house for the second year in a row (only last year we were at Ted & Janice's house for Christmas) and of course we used the "Santa is watching you" line to try and get him to listen better and behave well.  One day, he asked me if Santa doesn't bring him presents, will I still buy him presents for Christmas?  I assured him that yes, I would.  A few days later he told me he didn't care if Santa came at all.  He clearly chose to not listen/misbehave than have Santa bring him gifts.  I had never heard of a child not caring if Santa came! (Maybe we are doing something wrong?!).  Anyway, of course Santa came and brought Eliot a new Bruder Tractor and some attachments for it.  He was thrilled.

Our Christmas always comes in three parts: Nana's Christmas Party, Christmas Eve in Reading, and then Christmas Day.  Here are some photos from all 3 "Christmases:"

 Christmas Eve:

 

I decided to make the kids gifts this year (you know, in all my spare time).  I made Audrey and Maddie a "Cousins Yahtzee" game.  I actually hope they invite me to play with them sometime!  I think it looks so fun!

 

 I made Lilla a Science Bingo game since she is very much into science.  I also wouldn't mind playing this one once or twice :)

 

 I made Beatrice little envelopes made of felt.  I saw a similar item listed on Etsy for something like $25 for 3 envelopes.  So I made my own thinking she would have fun making and delivering mail to her family.  Beatrice wasn't super excited about opening her presents on Christmas Eve though so I didn't get any photos-- they were cute though! I included some small foam letter stickers so she could "address" her envelopes if she wanted to!

The big surprise of the night was when Ted opened his fire truck!  He had put a Bruder fire truck on his list before his last birthday and no one got it for him.  Of course, he wanted it for Eliot, but they were both SO excited to open the big package.  Unfortunately, I was in the other room taking photos when they opened it, but I got the end of it.

Eliot was so thankful for Great Gramma Baker's purchase:

 Our First Christmas in our new home:

 Now, for the saddest part of our Christmas.  Our dear, beloved dog, Brandon had been quite sick for weeks.   At first, he was unable to control is back right leg.  We thought it was a knee injury.  Then, as time when on, we noticed he wasn't flipping his front paws forward and couldn't really walk at all anymore.  More time passed and poor Brandon couldn't stand, or walk at all.  In the days leading up to Christmas, he couldn't even lift his head.  I had to spoon feed him his food and get him to drink from a sports water bottle.  Sadly, the day after Christmas, on something like our 6th vet visit, we had to put him to sleep.  We were pretty sure that he had a soft tissue mass on his brain that was causing his paresis. 

 My poor, poor buddy.  I miss him so much.  It's hard doing every day things now when Brandon used to be right by my side doing them with me.  I miss his head poking through a doorway almost as if he was asking permission to come in.  I miss his snuggles and his company.  He was the best dog.  I have much higher standards for dogs now that I've known Brandon.  I hope one day, I can get another dog who is as loyal, loving and kind as Brandon was.  For now, though, I am still in the grieving process just missing him and his white little face.  

Rest in Peace, Buddy.  I hope you are in doggy Heaven getting all the love you so deserve.

Braces, Brandon, Thomas & Prepping for Halloween!!

  Back in August we saw a child orthopedic specialist for Eliot (for which we were on the waiting list for months and months).  Eliot, since he began walking, walked only on his toes.  We finally learned that it was not because of anything devastating (it could have been because of a number of terribly scary disorders), but because his heel cords are too tight.  He has excellent range of motion everywhere else in his body except with his heel cords (or achilles tendon area).  The Dr. told us he needed to get fitted for braces that he would need to wear 20-24 hours a day for 6-16 months.

  We got an appointment with an orthodist (I think?) who made Eliot's braces to fit right to his little legs.  He even got to pick a pattern to have them molded in-- and wouldn't you know it? He picked trucks and vehicles.

  We're having SOME trouble wearing the braces as much as he's supposed to.  Some days are easier than others.  We call them them his Super Boots (thanks to the orthodist for coming up with that term).  Eliot was very proud of them at first, but the novelty seems to have warn off just a little.  He even confessed to me just a couple of days ago, that he doesn't really like them.  I have a strong feeling he will be wearing them on the longer side of the range too due to what I am seeing in his physical therapy.

Back in May, there was a news story that was caught a lot of attention about a pit bull dog named Lilly.  Lilly had been adopted from a rescue by a Boston Police Officer who thought she would make good company for his alcoholic mother.  One day, Lilly and her new owner, (the officer's mother) were out for a walk in Shirley, MA when the lady collapsed unconscious on the railroad tracks.  A train was headed for the lady, and brave Lilly pulled her out of the way, leaving Lilly to get clipped by the train herself.  Several surgeries and physical therapies later, Lilly is doing much better.  She did lose a leg, but she can walk and even run again.  

 Eliot had heard about Lilly in the news and even followed her on Facebook with Ted.  We had heard one day about a month ago that "Lilly the Hero Pit Bull" was going to be in Salem, MA at an event to end Puppy Mills.  Having nothing else to do that day, we decided to go take Eliot to meet Lilly.

Now, we were not really in the market for another dog, but when we met Brandon---- and eleven year old senior Pit Bull that came from a neglectful, abusive family and never knew love and couldn't get enough of it---- it really was love at first sight.  We went home that night and talked about Brandon.  I think it was that night that Ted called Brandon's foster Mom.  We set up a home visit and we went back to visit Brandon in his foster home environment.  Brandon and I bonded instantly.  He's been my very best buddy ever since and I (personally) am SO SO happy so announce that Brandon is the newest member of the Baker family.  He is the best dog that I have ever met-- the best dog that I could even dream up! He's perfect! And he doesn't chew ANYTHING!! (Not even dog toys!!!) See? PERFECT!!

 

Then, we had our annual Day out with Thomas trip! Nana came this year and was excited to see how excited Eliot got about the whole thing.  It even amazed me how excited he still is about the whole thing-- he doesn't even really watch Thomas anymore, but he still got excited to ride on that big blue engine! Not to mention the other rides, games, and fishing!

And finally, we started early this year (early October, late September) with our Halloween preparations.   I was excited because this was the first year that Eliot was really into decorating with me (Christmas is going to be SO FUN!) We made a family of ghosts (can you guess which one Eliot made? even though he claims one that I actually made as his own), we put some pumpkin sticks in the ground and we covered our windows in Halloween (removable) stickers.  And we've already even made a couple of Christmas gifts!  Less than two months away!!