The LaGreca Family

Put lights on house while toddler is taking a nap (and be quick because you never know when nap time ends).

Pick out Christmas tree while toddler is safely buckled in stroller

Get toddler in the mood by going to a Christmas lights show (house lights perform to Christmas music).

Once tree is safely indoors, ask toddler for help getting the lights on the tree.

(These are my favorite!)

Ask toddler to check every single bulb to make sure they are all working.

The lights are working…time to put them on the tree.

…the Holiday Season, that is.  The busy-ness/craziness usually starts the week of Thanksgiving, right?  Getting ready for a big family meal, then the tree, the house lights, shopping, wrapping, traveling, another family meal, and the year end/beginning celebration.  It’s a busy time, no doubt.  Well, just like last year…our holiday season busy-ness started early.

Bringing NCL home on Halloween last year meant that life was crazy a month early!  This year, we had a 1st birthday party, then Halloween, then we went straight into “wedding mode” for the first 3 weeks in November.  My very good friend, (and ex-coworker at HSBC) Jennifer, got married last weekend and I was the matron of honor.  Thanks to Joe (and VERY BIG THANKS), we were able to pull off a 25 person bridal shower on Thursday night (this is one of the main responsibilities of a matron/maid of honor).  Pictures from the wedding soon….it was a fantastic celebration - Congrats to Tre’ and Jennifer!

After all the wedding festivities were over (midnight on Saturday night)….I ended up with a cold.  NCL had the same thing.  It’s been a week and we are both still fighting it, but it’s the “season” for that, too, right?

Just to get caught up, here are some shots from the last month or so.

Anyone remember the wedding that Joe and I were both in last August? I was 7+ months pregnant..and it was the hottest day on the PLANET in El Cajon?  Well, since Mark and Vickie got married….ALL 3 of her bridesmaids had a baby boy!

On the left, Jennifer and 1 month old Jacob. Then Kristen with 3 month old Andrew (born on my birthday!). Vickie is holding NCL at 12 months….and I am free of a baby! ha ha. Alright Vickie….this picture is missing something..any guesses?  These little boys NEED a girlfriend!

Anyone care to guess what NCL’s favorite “toy” is (at our house)?

If you guessed “an article of clothing” - you are RIGHT!!!  NCL does this EVERY single day!  He takes a sock, or a shoe, or a shirt…and runs around the house with it.  If he drops it, he will bend over and pick it up and continue on his way.  It’s strange, I know. We don’t get it either. But it’s SO funny to watch! (if he has a small shirt or a sock, he likes to put it up to his nose and smell it along the way..while he is doing laps in the house).

Another first for NCL….PB&J sandwich!  We got the green light on peanut butter and I couldn’t WAIT to let him try it (you all know how much I love the stuff!) 

That brings me to this weekend.  I am going to try to get the camera out a little more…since I have been VERY bad in the last month.  I was bummed at how FEW pictures I had.  It’s been so much fun to play with the boy lately…makes it hard to stop and find the camera.

Here is the back side of my favorite little person in the whole world.

I got caught following him with the camera yestreday…he he. I love his facial expressions!

Joe and I are SO very thankful for this little guy.  We agree with his shirt….”Natural Born Cutie”!!  What a blessing to have NCL in our lives.  Our house would be BORING w/o him!

(Wardrobe by Auntie Dani…she knows how to pick out a cute outfit!)

We took NCL to the doctor this week for his 12 month check-up. (The picture above has nothing to do with the doctor - I just hadn’t posted any pictures from our All Church Retreat back in October.  If you click on the picture above - you can browse through the rest of the album).  So, back to the 12 month check-up.  As always, it’s great to hear that Nicholas is a healthy little boy.   He has a large head and his weight and height are proportionate.  He is doing all of the things he should be doing/learning except for words.  He has a lot to say…but we can’t understand any of the words he is saying.  He loves to read his books (my dad laughed when I told him this because he didn’t believe me), if we give Nicholas a book - he will turn the pages and point to all the things on the page and he “talks.” I think he is making up his own story. It’s really, very cute.

At this doctor’s appt, I had to fill out a few questionaires–development stuff (they were “tests” if you ask me).  “Is your child pointing at objects and trying to get you to look at them?”–things like that.  Then, one of the questionaire’s was looking for any signs that your child might be exposed to lead poisoning.  You will NEVER guess what the last question on the sheet was:  “Does your child eat Mexican candy?” I kid you not.  I asked the doctor and I guess they have tested Mexican candies for lead and the tests have come back positive!!!  We don’t even give Nicholas American candy…..but you can bet your life we will NEVER let him have Mexican candy!!

NCL is walking better and better every single day. He can pivot now, which seems to be very helpful when he wants to change his destination in “mid walk.”   I think the dog is shaking his head, wondering WHY we let this little creature learn to use his 2 legs.  Roscoe was perfectly happy when NCL was crawling around on all fours, just like him.

Two out of the seven you see here are our carvings…any idea which two? (I can give you a hint, our 2 pumpkins are right next to each other…not sure if that helps).

Great Job Cousin Mary -  you guessed NCL’s costume!

We went to the “Trunk or Treat” at our church. Nicholas had the best time. He even kept his costume on the entire night!

He made a very handsome little lion.