So much to be Thankful for...

What a year it has been for us.
We are so thankful to be in our new home with our family this year.
Not only do we have little Luke but we are also blessed to have my Mom and Dad out here this year for the winter.
One of the many advantages of having them here is the numerous offers to babysit so we can have a date night. Well we finally took my Mom up on that last weekend. Greg and I had our first of, hopefully, many date nights. We went to Bice downtown for dinner. We both had so much fun- but felt a bit rusty. After 2 drinks and a yummy dinner we were both ready for bed and decided to call it a night at 10pm. It was PERFECT!!!

Next-I decided to take on the challenge of cooking a full Thanksgiving meal for the whole family this year.
I was armed and ready Thanksgiving morning. I tied the apron, treated myself to a venti coffee and hit the ground running at 6am.
We had pretty traditional fare- Turkey (brined from the night before), green been casserole, scalloped corn, potatoes (sweet and mashed), salad..etc. So much food, in fact, we didn't have enough room on the table for it all.
 I think the highlight of the day though was not the turkey, not the football games or macy's day parade but it was the special moments the grandparents got to share with Luke. I don't think I could have paid them enough to take him out of their arms all day long. He was just on a rotation between the grandma's arms all day long. He is a very loved little boy.

And Luke is doing great. He has grown out of his colicky phase and is now on quite the routine. He has even slept through the night a handful of times. Life is good!

So with this Thanksgiving.. I can not think of anything more to be thankful for than FAMILY and our handsome little boys!

And now the fun begins. With the chill in the air, black friday shoppers out in full effect and holiday decorations scattered over every shopping center in sight the Christmas season has officially begun.....

Cant stop Smiling

Well I have done my best to edit Lukes videos of him smiling - The blogger video is not really my friend!!
I hope you enjoy watching him laugh and smile as much as I do.
He makes me laugh every day just watching him. He is so easily entertained by his mobile. It never fails once I lie him down and turn it on he just laughs and smiles.

The last few days have been sooo HOT! And of course murphy's law our air is not working. So to escape the heat the whole Johnston clan spent the day at dog beach in Del Mar. Charger was so happy to get to the beach. We really had not taken him much since we moved up here.

8 weeks and then some

8 weeks and So Cute

Well a lot has happened since the last post.
Luke is now 9 weeks old and is doing so much better.
The colicy phase is slowly improving and he is getting on more of a routine.
He had his 2 month check up last week and received his first set of immunizations. I told myself I wouldn't cry and sure enough when he got that first shot his bottom lip shot out and then started crying I found myself welling up with tears.  I am sure that is the first of many moments when I wish I could just take all his pain away in an instant.
But with a little food it was all forgotten. I guess breast milk is like the lollipop for newborns.

Since the last post. My best friend Kari surprised me with a visit. We had a little mommy makeover a little retail therapy and even a trip to the wild animal park.
It was an action packed weekend and so much fun. I wish she lived closer!!

Our Friends Kenzie, Gerry Becca and Reese even made the trip down from LA for the day to enjoy the park with us.

This is the only photo we managed to get of us the whole time she was here.


Then Greg and I decided to take an impromptu trip to Vegas to visit my parents who were there celebrating my Mom's birthday.
We ended up staying 2 nights and Luke did so good I contemplated moving into that hotel room.
He was like a different baby.. taking naps sleeping till 6am and very little crying.  This allowed us to enjoy the fancy hotel with nice bedding maid service, room service and in-room movies. We took long showers sat in the hot tub and soaked up the sun by the pool. It was FANTASTIC! 
But I guess what happens in Vegas stayes in Vegas..
because he is now back home and onto his normal routine of 5am wake-ups. 

Then came Halloween...
A night of pumpkin carving...

Costumes

And Neighborhood Trick o Treating with the Trentinjak's

I cant believe how fast these last few weeks have gone.
Luke is growing so fast and changing every day.

It is so bittersweet. I am headed back to work next week and as much as I am excited to get back and see all my girls at work I am so scared of missing so much with him.

I have found myself just staring at him trying to soak it all in these last few days.  I have been spending a little extra time holding him, rocking him to sleep, dancing with him.

It is so amazing how something so little can change your life so much.