Dear Little Him: These two photographs of you and your Dad warm my heart. May you always know the love that Dad and I have for you. May you always have comfort when you need it most.

Love Forever and x Infinity,

Mommie.

The Decor of your First Christmas...

Remington, Mommie thinks it is so important to instill fun traditions in our home. One thing my Mom, your Grandma Halverson, excelled at was in making the Holiday's special for me and your Aunt Joyce. I want to emulate her creativity, and magic! So with that in mind, and with the knowledge that your curiosity about the world around you was growing, I decorated with passion this year. One of my favorite components of 2010's Holiday decor was the family of bears.

Your Dad started a tradition whereby I would get a bear each year for Christmas. Although I didn't bring forth the entire collection, I put out the first three bears I received. This mini collection included Momma Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear. I thought it was cute because it is exactly our current living situation.

I also liked our stockings...they are shoes, a tennis shoe for Dad, and a mini-tennis shoe for you; and, a ballet slipper for Mom. As a girl I had a ballet slipper that was white and red. Your Grandma Halverson made these so I could carry over some things I loved.

Our tree was decorated with a garland ribbon that had bells. Symbolic of Mommie introducing her favorite Christmas music to you. I LOVE, LoVe, Love "Carol of the Bells" to hear human voices emulate bells is amazing.

As you mature, I can't wait to hear what your favorite traditions, moments, and music of Christmas will be. I hope I do the Holiday's justice and make them really special for you.

I love you so much that I hope I can always give you the best of me: ideas, talent, hope, wisdom, fun...

Love Forever and x Infinity,

Mommie.

Month 8 Recap, November 26 through December 18th...

Remington, Where does the time go? Starting at your 7 month point where you started to be soo active, it seems that we are busy every day. Time for Mommie is flying! This month, your 8th month, was an adventure! Mommie stayed up for two days to ensure that your home would be decorated for the Holiday's. This month saw you get on your hands and knees and bounce or stand holding onto something and bounce -- all the bouncing and the fact that you like to practice it has led me to add a new nickname for you. It is "Mommie's Tigger." Although you were an active bouncer there was no crawling or walking. You would get where you wanted to go and get what you needed by rolling or by bucking backwards while laying on your back. The latter movement was pretty innovative and cute, if you ask me.

You were also very creative in getting the things done that you though were important -- especially with play. Your favorite toy this month was a Playskool puzzle with kogs. The kogs moved clockwise with music and had all of the primary colors. We would play it for hours...Mommie would say: "round and round and round it goes,where it stops nobody knows!" You would take the kogs off and put them back on and put other toys on the center kog.

Other things you liked to do: play with your dinosaur, watch Elmo, read with Mom. It was a fun and productive month!

Love Forever and x Infinity,

Mommie.

First Thanksgiving...11-25-2010

Little Him, Mommie has so much to be thankful for but I am most thankful and appreciative that I have you in my life. You bring me joy thousands and thousands of times each day. This first Thanksgiving, you were curious about all of the goings- on in the kitchen. I love that you have a curious and adventurous spirit.

The cute bib that you are wearing is from Glenda Bushnell, ICU-RN. She has been such a wonderful mentor and friend. I hope you have many things to be thankful for your entire life, and I hope you have as many wonderful, loving and generous friends as Mommie and Daddy do. In addition to you, Reme, friendship is one thing I treasure and am thankful for.

Love Forever and x Infinity,

Mommie.

Oh So Dapper!

Reme: I just love how handsome you are! You look adorable and amazing in every outfit I have dressed you in. I want to get pictures of every single one, but somehow that goal does not come into fruition. I was lucky to get these snapshots of you in one of my favorite outfits...you are one cutie patootie!!!

Love Forever and x Infinity,

Mommie.

Reading with Mommie...

 

Little Him, reading is one of Mommie's favorite past-times. I hope I can give you a love for the written word just as your Grandma and Triple G did for me. So far, so good. Sometimes you have to be in the mood to listen to the stories I read because you would rather be on the move, but for the most part you will listen as I read...as long as you get to help hold the book!

Love Forever and x Infinity,

Mommie

7 Month Recap...

Pictures Bottom to Top: "Yo Adrienne!," "Gettin' Ready to Walk," "Hehehehehe," "5 O'Clock Shadow," "Sleepy Pie"~~~Remington, Where do I start with a re-cap of such a busy month? You are growing by leaps and bounds! You were 19 and a half pounds and 26 inches long when Daddy and I measured you last (which was about 3 weeks into your 7th month), and you've grown since then! You had two teeth emerge this month. They were your two bottom teeth, which was a shocker...we expected to see two top teeth come through first, even though normal development indicates it will be bottoms as the first teeth to arrive. We thought it would be top teeth because of how much you kept searching for hard things to bite on that would affect the top gum line. In any case, the novelty of your teeth is NOT wearing off, for Mommie anyway. I am surprised every time you try to bite me!!! You are a kind boy, though, you've never bitten Mom when you were Nursing. I feel lucky and grateful for that because you've got power in your bite!

Daddy shaved your fine hair this month hoping that your hair will come in thicker than mine and his as we both have very fine hair. If you have a nice head of hair like both of your Grandma's you will be lucky indeed! It is a gorgeous sandy blonde color. Your eyes appear to be the golden brown that your Dad has, not hazel like Mommie's. They are beautiful.

This month you discovered how much you like to stand. If we don't practice with you often throughout the day you get irritated. You have a bit of a temper (probably a result of your Syrian, Irish, German heritage). However, even with a temper you are a very happy and content baby with loads and loads of personality. I love to hear you laugh and watch you play. You get very serious with your play and play really, really hard and intently. It is cute to observe.

This month has proven that you are a social butterfly. Every place we visited had you interested in others and engaging in their "space." It was darling to watch you observe others and interact with them! You especially had fun with your Uncle Bob during a family dinner engagement. He lifted you from your legs and held you out. You stood straight and tall as you were being lifted; and, all the while you were not afraid and had a cute smile on your face. I think you know you are special!

Some of the pictures in this re-cap are Mom's favorites. I like "Yo, Adrienne!" because it seems as if you are in a sweat suit raising arms in celebration of an accomplishment, and if this were true (i.e. not a pose set up by Mom and Dad) then you would be right...you accomplish much each day!

In the "Gettin' Ready to Walk" photo, this is an example of how much you like to practice standing. You are not quite ready to go roving, so I am thankful for the breaks on the walker, but you are close. I expect you will walk before you crawl. At about 71/2 months you started to scootch on your back. You tilt your head back, arch your back and then "buck" to move. It is waaay cute! You still refuse to be on your stomach much and I don't think you will crawl, but the other ways you figure out how to get around amaze me (you also roll from back to stomacth to back until you get to where you want to be).

"Hehehehe" is a photo that shows your cute personality...you love to laugh, play, smile. You love music and to learn. I LOVE that about you...

"5 O'clock Shadow" and "Sleepy Pie" occurred when Dad tried to change your schedule from a 4pm to a 5pm dinner. You could hardly stay awake to finish your meal. You did and then you were out like a light!!!!

Nap times and a nap routine have been hard to come by...you want to "play, laugh, grow" instead of sleep. It has been like hitting a brick wall to get you to nap in 2 hour increments twice daily, but you are doing this about every other day. At the end of this month I decided that I am not going to force you into a nap schedule...it just makes us both have a bad day when I do, so unless you totally stop sleeping thorough the night because you are over tired, I am going to be fine with the cat naps you take throughout the day (15 to 45 minutes). You are a happy fella, aferall.

My love for you grows and grows every day. I know how lucky I am that you chose me for your Mother. I cherish our days and time together. I hope you always know that you are special and unique...a most precious blessing to me and this world.

Love Forever and x Infinity,

Mommie.

Remington's First Halloween

Remington: October 31, 2010...your first Halloween was so much fun! You are such a social butterfly that we didn't make it to every stop we had planned, but you played and had soo much fun with Uncle Jeff and Aunt Cheryl. The day was sunny and bright just like you! When we arrived at your Godparent's home they set up a baby swing for you outside on the play-yard they've been making. The swing was an orange race car with the Home Depot numbers that Tony Stewart drives. You giggled and laughed until you fell asleep on the rope of the swing. You LOVE to go high and fast, such a dare-devil you are!

Mommie thought your Little Lion costume would be HUGE on you. It looked so big on the hanger. I truly thought it would be a costume that you could wear until you were 3 years old! I guess I am in denial that you are growing...you now weigh 19 and a half pounds and are getting long. I was SHOCKED when the legs of the costume were short on you. The costume size was 6 to 12 months! In any case, you "worked" the costume and looked darling!

The reason we chose a Lion costume is because you just ADORE your Dad and he is a "LEO," or Lion according to his astrological sign.

Besides being a Lion for Halloween, you fully cut your first tooth! Daddy joked that it was something special for your "fang" to come through on the day you dressed as a Lion (and on Mommie's favorite Holiday).

I can't convey how excited I am to experience life, holiday's, and daily adventure's with you. You give me so much joy...I am delighted by every reaction you have; by every expression; by all that you try. I am so honored to be one of your parents. Thank you, thank you, thank you for choosing me and Dad. We adore and love you so very, very much.

Love Forever and x Infinity,

Mommie.