More Christmas Day Pictures

Celeste was asleep for some of Christmas morning, but she was awake for opening presents. She enjoyed the crinkling paper, Christmas lights, and lots of people playing with her.

For Christmas dinner we had all kinds of different international foods, from Russian, to Brazilian, etc.

I love this picture that Mandy took of Scott and Celeste.

More Christmas Eve Pictures

Celeste, being held by Grammy, marveled at the tower of formula she received for Christmas.

We lighted some lumenarias to keep up a tradition that started when we lived in New Mexico.

Uncle Dave read the story of Silent Night.

We also dressed up and acted out the Christmas story (Luke 2). Celeste was a sheep. Grammy crochetted her sheep hat. Scott was a shepherd. Bethany was the angel. Katrina was a camel. Amy & Jonathan were Mary and Joseph. Grammy and Colin were wise men. Jackson was baby Jesus. Mandy was the narrator. Grammy's neighbor Lois held the flashlight to light up the star.

Snow Activities and Video

We built 3 snow people and a snow dog in front of my mom's house. Some of my siblings and I snow shoed to the top of Menan Butte, which is one of an old pair of volcanos. The day was sunny but cold. Mandy, Amy, Jonathan, and I went on the adventure. About half way up the butte I started missing Celeste terribly, so I sped up and got to the top first. Here is the video of the others getting to the top. FYI, below us is one of Scott's fishing spots on the Snake River, a turtle pond that we went tubing in, and an area that burned in a 2003 wildfire where my brother John helped fight it.

Celeste Smiling For Aunt Mandy

Cousin Conversation

This was created by Katrina from pictures taken this Christmas.

* M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S ! *

Sleeping Beauty

Still Working on the Perfect Christmas Picture

My big goal is to get a good Christmas Picture of Celeste in her new dress. The tough part is that usually by the time she's been fed, cleaned up, and dressed, and I get the camera ready, she's tired and ready to go back to sleep.

Short Groovin Video

Celeste had a visit to the pediatrition today. She weighs 11 lbs 8 oz.

Let it snow!

Here is Celeste's reaction to seeing snow for the first time...

We only got an inch and a half. It has all melted except on the driveway.

Daddy's Girl / Binky Princess

(Scott was headed for a business meeting and Celeste was dressed up because I was trying to get a good Christmas picture of Celeste.)

Five Weeks Old Stats

Celeste’s 5 weeks old profile Dec 7, 2008
* Her umbilical stump fell off on November 22, 2008. Yipee, we can take baths now!
* Prefers to be carried facing out so she can see more. This sometimes calms her when she’s fussy.
* Drinks an average of 27 oz of formula per day.
* Over the past few weeks has been fussy in the evenings & doesn’t go to sleep until midnight. It’s slumber party time!
* Looks at people’s faces.
* Turns her head and looks around.
* Responds to voices, bells, & other noises, usually by opening her eyes wider and sometimes turning her head.
* Has stronger neck muscles than she used to, but flops over after a few seconds.
* Makes cooing noises when happy and alert.
* Smiles occasionally when playing, especially when her parents are laughing.
* Likes clothing changes that don’t involve going over her head.
* Still loves baths and shampoos.
* Still hates getting her boogers aspirated, slow bottles, and being overly tired.
* Can sleep just about anywhere (Car seat, parents arms, crib, couch, mommy’s bed, bouncy chair)

Bethany: Mother and Wife

Bethany has been so good at keeping this blog updated, taking pictures,and being such a super mom, cleaning the house, keeping laundry going, and going, and going, and she also makes time to do a little work with me and play with our freinds. I realized as I looked at this blog that there are very few pictures of her with Celeste. Here are a couple and I hope to sneak a few more pictures. She has been doing such a wonderful, selfless, caring, and spectacular job at being both a wonderful mother to Celeste and perfect wife/business partner for me. All I can say is that both Celeste and I are two of the most lucky people alive.

Matching Hair

Growing Beautifully

Our next door neighbors have a digital scale. We used it to weigh Celeste, and according to that scale she weighs 11.0 pounds! She has outgrown most of her 0-3 month clothes.

Play time this morning...

This morning she started making cute baby noises (other than crying), and I caught it on video. I think she might be left handed, at least that is one she's been using most. I think that means she'll be an artist.

One Month Old Video

Thank you Katrina for showing me how to make a video. :0)

Happy One Month Old Celeste!

Celeste got to play with Grammy while Scott and Bethany spoke in church. In the evening we went to the community Handel's Messiah sing-along. Celeste was wide awake for the whole thing. Then we drove out to see Christmas lights. Celeste drank 6 oz while parked in front of a house that has it's Christmas lights synchronized with Christmas music that they broadcast on an FM station. Celeste loved the flashing lights. While we were sitting there we realized that the odometer on Bethany's car had just turned to 100,000 miles.

Initiation

Caution, diaper story. This is not for the weak of stomach.

Yesterday Celeste gave us some major excitement. We were at home when Scott went to change her diaper. It turned out to be a major blowout. There was poo everywhere...all over her clothes, all over the changing table, on her back, and all over Scott. When he lifted her feet to wipe her off, Celeste spit up about an ounce of formula which flowed down her cheek, over her ear, onto the changing table, and around her head. She was taken straight to her bath tub where she proceded to pee in the water. Celeste was calm and wide awake for the entire thing. Bethany couldn't stop laughing at Scott. Celeste got him good. She loves bathing and getting her hair shampooed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! We are having a slightly slower week than last week. Scott, the master chef, is creating amazing dishes while Celeste and Bethany are napping.

Last week we had the opportunity to be with family and friends at three different events:

• A fun baby shower thrown by members of our ward congregation and good friends.
• Grandma Downey's Funeral
• Amy & Jonathan's wedding & reception in Utah

Here is the link to pictures from Amy's reception that were on my camera:

Wedding Reception

We also had a home visit by LDS Family Services. The main purpose is to see how everyone is doing. They also want to see that we are keeping up with her medical checkups and immunizations. Their initial visit was a year ago. That was part of the "Home Study". They checked for smoke detectors, no chemicals under the sink, and that our house was safe and up to code.

Grandma's Funeral

Grandma's funeral was highlighted by beautiful prayers, talks, and music. Scott sang "Going Home". This was the song that Grandma requested be sung to her just before she passed away. A group of us sang "God be with you til we meet again". Amy, Bethany, Mandy, and Katrina played "Oh My Father".

Celeste slept through the entire thing. She is having fun hanging out with cousin Jackson who is one month older. (Actually they don't seem to be aware of each other yet.)

God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again

Our beloved Grandma Downey passed peacefully away at 9:40 am this morning. She finally gets to be with her hubby. We are now getting ready for the funeral on Tuesday? morning.

My favorite memory of her was when she and grandpa took me and my siblings to the Ross Park Zoo. Grandpa dropped us off at the top entrance and left to park the car at the lower entrance. This way we could walk down through the zoo and not have to back track. We discovered that the top entrance was closed that day, so we had to find a way to get to the other entrance. We found a way down by climbing down the lava rocks. I can still remember grandma climbing down those rocks in high heels and with grace and style.

15 Days Old

Celeste’s 15 Days Old Profile

Favorite Food: Similac Smoothies

Favorite Pastimes: Sleeping, Eating, Looking at anything especially lights

Newest Pastimes: Sucking on her fingers, Spending a few minutes a day on her tummy, Sleeping with her arms above her head

Biggest Accomplishment: Goes right back to sleep after eating at night

Least Favorite Activity: Having her boogers aspirated

Pet Peeves: Waiting for her bottle to be made up, Having to stop eating so her parents can burp her

Favorite Sounds: Baby Beethoven cd, Running water, Crinkling plastic bags, Singing

Biggest Goals: Loosing her umbilical stump, Keeping her parents washing machine full

Fairy Princess

Celeste is figuring out what she wants to wear to Amy's wedding.