Well not anymore but when i was almost 5 my little brother arrived. I had begged and begged for a little brother and after he got there I said to my parents. “Why did we have to get him? CAn we give him back?” Now I love my little bro (who just turned 24 ) But back then wouldn’t this have been the best thing!

So I will admit I grew up watching Regis and Kathie Lee with my grandmother.  Every weekday morning at 9 am Grandma Goldie watched it.  So in the summer or on school breaks we watched it too.

About 10 years ago Kathie Lee left the show and Regis teamed up will Kellie Rippa.  Well I guess Kathie Lee has come out of retirement because she has teamed up with Hoda on NBC.  Yesterday I caught their show and Kathie Lee had a great idea for Christmas giving.  She said a friend told her many years ago to give each child three gifts for christmas.  Why three you ask?  That’s how many gifts baby Jesus was given on the first Christmas.  Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh here we come.

I think this is a great idea.  After all don’t we all want our children to be raised as grateful children?

Now my issue is what in the world do you but a 6 month old?  I am leaning towards experiences (music class, swimming lessons, etc…)  not things.  However these are things that I  would like to be on going, year round,  experiences for Elliot.  I made a list at my mom’s request but since I think she finished her shopping for E before ever recieving the list I am now deciding which Items are most important and educational.  Many of the things I put on there are things that we will need to get him any way but honestly I have no clue what to get Elliot for his 3 gifts.

Here’s my list.  If you have any comments or suggestions let me know.

Elliot’s First Christmas list

• Baby’s First Christmas ornament (example) http://www.hallmark.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product|10001|10051|937330|215589;221069;272072|null|P1R4SO|stores

• contribution towards music class ($160 for 10 weeks)
  

• Contribution to College saving fund
• Contribution towards E’s convertible/big boy carseat http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2936024 Since he will be in this thing for the next 4-6 years we want to spend the money to get a safe one.
• Playmat – We haven’t decided between the BRIGHT educational one and the one that will look better anywhere in the house

Bright http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=6683&cmSource=Search

Natural

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=536202&cmSource=CrossSell&relatedProductId=6683

• Nativity http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=536134&parentCategoryId=91179&categoryId=91190&subCategoryId=91201
• Toolbox

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=536198&parentCategoryId=91179&categoryId=91190&subCategoryId=91201

• Stacking toy (examples)

Soft

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=534248&parentCategoryId=91179&categoryId=91190&subCategoryId=91201#tabs

or http://www.target.com/Tiny-Love-Musical-Stack-Play/dp/B0000YGM9Y/ref=br_1_4?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=15750531&node=15750531&searchRank=pmrank&searchPage=1&searchSize=30&id=Tiny%20Love%20Musical%20Stack%20Play

or Wood

http://www.gatortots.com/item_217/Ring-Stacker-Wood-Stacking-Toy-Made-in-USA.htm

• Baby Music CDs
• Books
• Blocks

Bath Toys/bath toy storage

This morning, after some black Friday shopping, I heard about this;
French website offers luxury shopping spree
From AFP Global Edition | 2009-11-10 18:10:53

A Paris-based website has launched a competition offering the winner a one-month tour of seven world cities with a shopping budget of 10,000 euros (15,000 dollars), business class travel and luxury accommodation.

The winner for what Letsbuyit.com is calling the “Second Best Job in the World” will have to keep a blog, find the best bargains, and compare shopping cultures in Berlin, Hong Kong, London, Milan, New York, Paris and Tokyo…Candidates for the shopping competition have until December 14 to submit a video and a resume explaining their suitability for the one-month job of “international shopping consultant,” which will include a 5,000-euro salary.

I think I am a perfect candidate for a multi-cultural shopping spree look at my cute little multi-cultural family:)

Ok you know I am a child of the 80’s when I get geeked over custom vans. In my day it was pretty much the standard black and white checked vans sometimes a bit of flourescent paint splatter or something…but check out these by ETSY.com seller amymiwen.

Much thought was put into which high chair to get Elliot.  I narrowed it down to the Hi Lo by AGE and the Trip Trap by Stokke.  I found them both on sale (all but the portabello AGE which was our FAVE ) but I needed to act fast.  In the end I decided that the trip trap worked best because we could get it in dark wood to match the rest of our furniture and becuse it doesn’t have a tray it would take up less floor space.

We went with the red baby set to add a punch of color.

So Elliot isn’t crawling yet but we are already preparing for baby proofing and making more room for him to crawl around.  This weekend we headed over to Lynne, Jake and Morris’ place for their second annual tur-duck-en party.  The party was fabulous and our gracious hosts were able to find tabels and seating for all 20+ people.  It was a perfect opportunity for us to come full circle on a furniture swap that started last October.

Last October Lynne gave us her coffee table.  Rocky had chewed ours and Lynne didn’t have room for hers after her move.  It actually will transition really well for us as it is big and oval and there for very Elliot friendly.  The thing that wasn’t working for us was our dining table.  We really liked it but it just took up too much space.  So when Lynne needed seating for the Tur-duck-en day it was a perfect opportunity to return her gift.

Since our table and chairs now reside in Lynne’s fabulous loft. We need a new one, FAST!  Thanksgiving is this week people.  Our criteria include, dark wood or stain-able and  small.  Did I mention small?  We are trying to use just two chairs and Elliot’s high chair.  We looked at different tables that had leaves in them and some that were just really tiny…James really wanted a bar height table.  I was worried that it would just feel too big in our space.  James finally decided on this table and it is pub height.  I am a little worried about Elliot’s cute little hi chair being to low but James was adamant.  We will have to figure out the whole high chair thing.

This table is 48×23 inches which makes it a foot shorter each way than our old table.  To save even more space we are going with stools that can tuck under the table.

I so hope this is true!

Planet Shark Blogger Day at the Georgia Aquarium on Friday, November 20, 2009, to experience Planet Shark first hand from 2:00pm-5:00pm (last admission at 4:00). You will receive FREE admission for you and one guest. Please RSVP to leslie@creaxion.com by Wednesday, November 18 and include your blog’s web address for verification. Your ticket will be available for pick up at the Ocean’s Ballroom Entrance the day of the event.

sleeping with grandpa

hiking with Grammy, Grampy, Dad and Rocky ( Mom was taking the photo)

Dancing with Amy

My cousin Amy was married on August 1, 2009 in Michigan. That trip was alot of firsts for Elliot…first trip, first plane ride, fist time to meet his cousins and aunts and uncles, first ranger ride, first tractor ride, first hike…it was even his first dance and guess what it was with the bride!  For a truly beautiful and creative view of Jeff and Amy’s day visit the photographers blog.

E with uncle Wren

My mom (aka Grammy) is visiting us for a week.  Yesterday she made James homemade buns from my grandmother’s recipie.  She let Elliot help her poke the dough down afer it raised the first time.  Pretty good for an alomst three month old baker.

Elliot baking buns with Grammy.