growing up

I can't get over how quickly Dean is growing and changing. it's like all at once, he's a baby, not a little baby anymore. From his full head of hair, to his slimming thighs, he's growing up right before our eyes...and looking the part, too!

he started crawling a few days ago and I am so excited that he is able to move freely and not be so frustrated, but he suddenly feels so much older to me. at the end of this year, he will have celebrated all his 'first' holidays (except his birthday) and it has me rather melancholy.

I love my baby boy, my pup pup, my mr. chunkers and I'm so excited for all the future holds living with this precious angel God gave us. but, I can't help knowing that as good as it is that he's growing up, that means we have to say goodbye to the sweet little dependent baby as he fades slowly into this bigger, expressive, curious little guy. can't wait for all that lies ahead for our Dean and our little family.

tree time

we bought a real Christmas tree on saturday

and it smells wonderful all through the house

it's Dean's first Christmas...and we're doing it right

knaus berry farm

when Tom and I were engaged and I came to miami for a couple weeks before our wedding, some of Tom's friends wanted to go to a place called knaus berry farm. if you've ever been to southern california (like myself) you might think they were talking about knott's berry farm, which is indeed a theme park. I was SO confused the first time we went, believing we were going to a theme park, and instead showing up at a little farm/bakery in the middle of nowhere. 

my disappointment was soon over after I tasted the delicious baked goods they make. the farm and bakery is a place that is run by people who look amish, but they are actually dunkers, a german-origin church. they are only open november through april each year, so we took advantage and got ourselves some cinnamon rolls, herb sticks, shakes and a cheesecake. so good!

thankful

our Thanksgiving was lovely. we spent the day together as a family, cooking up a delectable meal and then feasting on said meal! Dean had a great time and Grandma even made him a cornish hen, just so he would have his own tiny "turkey."

this year, I have so much to be thankful for...but, I'm most thankful for my sweet little family, affectionately referred to as "my boys!"

fort lauderdale boat show

Tom's new job is the digital media specialist for Ferretti Group, a yacht company. obviously, when the fort lauderdale international boat show came, Tom had to work it. he stayed at a hotel that was close to the show and worked 12+ hour days. hurricane Sandy only forced them to cancel one day of the show (thankfully) and the rest of the time Tom was super busy. 

we had some friends who were in town and wanted to meet up, so Dean and I drove up and stayed the night in the hotel with Tom (Dean did NOT enjoy the 40 minute drive). we had a lot of fun at dinner with the Boyce family and they have three adorable kids who I had never met before. the next day, Dean and I explored the area and the very windy beach while Tom worked. we went to a restaurant right on the harbor and after Dean was sufficiently tired out, I drove back to Miami so Tom could focus on finishing the weekend.

Halloween

for Halloween, we did last-minute costumes. I was the referee, Tom an nba star, and Dean was our basketball! I always do last-minute costumes (an added element of suspense!?!) and I really hate store-bought costumes, so we bought Dean an orange shirt and stuffed it with the innards of one of our throw pillows. it was good enough for his first Halloween...seeing as he will only have these pictures to remember it. anyway, we trick-or-treated around Tom's parents' neighborhood, which was good because there were hardly any kids out at all (in stark contrast to last year in my parents' neighborhood where each household sends out a flock of children...yes, flocks!).

anyway, we had a good time and Dean enjoyed his dum-dum sucker and little bites of the chocolatey goodness I wharfed down. delicious! hope everyone had a happy Halloween!