Christmas, etc.

It's time (overdue?) for another update... We made it to California, safe and sound. We left Manhattan around the time when Matt would be going to bed, so he soon fell asleep. He (thankfully) slept most of the way to Arizona (we stopped in Flagstaff and stayed the night with Ann and Bill) - so the ride was much better than I thought it would be. We had a good time in AZ (Ann even said that he may be the perfect child.... we know... ) and then headed on to California. That drive was also ok (though he didn't sleep as much so he did start to get tired of sitting there for so long).

We've been enjoying ourselves. The big Christmas party was Sunday, and Matt was wonderful... even with there being a million (ok, maybe 30?) new faces. Here's a pic of just some of the people there (with Matt, of course, front and center on Dad's lap).

Here we are opening our stockings during the party. Matt's wearing Jimmy's stocking cap...

The camera has been pinned on Matt nonstop since we've been here. Just a few minutes ago Pam said something along the lines of it being the "Matt show" since it seems all pics involve him in one way or another. He's just such a ham, smiling as soon as he sees the camera... (gee, who does he get that from?) we can't help it.

Here are some random pics... First, a pic with Papa. I'm not sure who looks prouder...

Matt is growing up so fast... here he is riding a bike for the very first time...

It was present time... Christmas morning... here's Matt opening his new truck...

He loves trucks... here he's playing with it...

And here he is playing in his brand new car... wearing his Kobe jersey... spoiled kid...

Playing Patty-Cake with Great Grandma...

Walking with Dad....

And, finally, just a pic I thought was cute...

Of course, the blog wouldn't be complete without some videos... so here you go. These are two videos of Matt walking with the walker that Christina and her family got him. He LOVES it. He's guaranteed to start smiling as soon as he starts walking behind it - and he can do laps forever... he's amazing... so, here's a video walking towards me (he gets distracted by the video camera and decides to be a ham instead of walk) and one walking away...

Pics and videos since Thanksgiving

Here are some random pics since Thanksgiving. First, Matt loves pickles. For the last couple days, when he gets really grumpy and seems like nothing will make him happy, we just give him a pickle and his whole attitude changes. He goes from crying and tears to pure smiles. These happen to be bread and butter pickles, but he seems to like dill pickles too. He gnaws on one end and then switches to the other. I think it's not just the taste he likes, but also that they're cool and mushy against his gums. Plus, they're nice a messy - it's fun to wipe our hands on Dad's leg when he's not looking. :)

Here are two photos of Matt after one of his baths. He had crazy hair going on... In the second pic, he's doing his "spitting" thing - I think it's his favorite sound effect.

Here's Matt, in my glasses. He kept trying to take them off my face, so I finally just took them off and put them on him.

Ok, seriously, the boy is crazy. Here he is climbing his little mirror toy. We were just sitting here, watching TV, when I glanced at him and saw he was completely off the ground, hanging/balancing on the mirror toy. He loves to climb, but I was shocked to actually see him up there like that. Good thing the camera was handy... he hasn't done it since (that we've seen). I couldn't find the video camera fast enough... (Wow, what a messy house!)

Here's a pic from today. Matt had been somewhat fussy today (think he's teething) so we took him to the mall to walk around (going for walks in the stroller is still an amazingly wonderful fix for bad moods but it's just too cold outside... snowed today). Anyway, Mr. Fussypants turned into Happy Baby. Whew!

And now for some videos... First, here's one of Matt doing one of his most recent favorite things to do - bang doors. He loves to crawl into the dining room and open up the cabinet doors, and proceed to open and close (slam) them. He especially likes it when he thinks we didn't notice him... He'll crawl and keep looking behind him to see if we're watching. If he sees us watching, he just smiles and bolts the other direction. Oftentimes we hide and don't let him know we're watching so we can see how far he'll go. Doing this, he has wound up back in our bedroom... Other favorite things lately include playing chase (he'll crawl and we'll crawl after him, and then he'll turn and chase us... FYI: crawling is hard on the knees), rolling a ball (looks like a dog chew toy, actually...) and then chasing after it, and playing with Christmas bows. He still likes cell phones and laptops... but doesn't seem as fascinated with remote controls (though they still make good teethers when they're within reach). Ok, enough talk.... here's the video:

And here's a video from tonight. Jimmy was feeding Matt dinner and making him laugh. Matt, it turns out, is very ticklish. When you tickle his feet while he's in his high chair he squirms and squirms. Here, Matt is finding some of Jimmy's antics simply hilarious.

Time for an update...

First, Jimmy had to dress up for work one day, so before he left we snapped some pics of Matt and him... so cute...
and full body...

Thanksgiving Day... Matt is a crawling fool!

And look at the teeth (the two bottom teeth... he doesn't like to show them too often...)!

In the commotion of preparing the Thanksgiving meal, somehow Matt escaped Dad's view... and I heard some slight, strange rattling sound. When I looked over, lo and behold, there's Matt - in Marley's dog dish, playing with the food...

Matt and Grandpa, playing on Grandpa's computer (after this pic, he started climbing and biting the laptop...)

Bath time - Matt loves playing with the water coming out of the faucet...

This morning, before Grandma, Grandpa, and Great-Grandma went home, Matt opened up some of his Christmas presents so they could see him actually open some gifts... Here's the progression of one present... starting with chewing on the bow, playing (and trying to eat) the wrapping paper, tugging on the paper, playing with the box while I tried to get the present (a toy laptop in this case) ready to play with, and then, finally, playing with the toy... whew! (Three toys later and Matt was worn out!)

Pics and a video

Time for some more pics... First, because Jimmy's a dork.... He thought it would be funny to be a ghetto "Santa" to see Matt's reaction. Matt didn't seem to care that much...
Here's the Matt all smiles, crawling and playing with his wooden spoon.

I don't know why, but I love the pics of him passed out in the stroller... I guess I just don't understand how it wears HIM out when we go for walks...

This was a different day, right before a walk. Jimmy wants me to put the title of this pic as "It's 70 degrees outside"... It wasn't, thank you very much... AND it was getting dark and cooler outside (and by the end of the walk, it was good that I had him bundled up.. again, thank you very much...)

Here's a pic of Matt with Maura...

And here's Matt and Uncle Joey playing...

Last, but not least, here's a video of Matt cracking up.... He just discovered that when he bangs a coaster on Daddy's computer (yeah, nice) it makes a loud sound. When doing that, Uncle Joey started pretending to hit stuff and making sounds, and encouraging Matt to hit some more. For whatever reason, this just cracked Matt up - so I had to get it on video...

Videos

Here are some videos. One I really really wanted to upload wouldn't for some reason - might have been too big. Anyway... stop naggin' people.... you know who you are... :)

Relatives, cosumes, and driving...

Lots of pics... First, let's start with pics of Matt with some family members he got to see recently. First, some from Nonna and Papa's visit... Here's Matt, happy to be with Nonna on the porch swing:
And clearly just as happy to be with Papa:

Here's Matt getting in the Halloween/Thanksgiving spirit... playing with the innards of a pumpkin... so slimy and gross... yet fun...:

Here's Matt, driving us to Grandma and Grandpa's house... (or just pretending to drive while waiting with Dad for Mom and Great-Grandma to come out of the airport... you pick)

Matt started Halloween day as a tiger... Roar!!!

Posing by the spider pumpkin:

Posing outside with Great-Grandma:

Later on Halloween, the "real" costume came out... Lobster and chef...

Playing with the spoon...

Matt looks too happy to be a lobster in a pot... perhaps he's not sure what this is implying...

AAAUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

Rescued from the pot by Grandma and Grandpa!

And, finally, all tuckered out, asleep in Great-Grandma's arms...