baby's first christmas

were you dreaming of a white christmas?
we didn't even have to dream about it, cuz we were smack in the middle of it!
lucky little o got to spend his first christmas in a winter wonderland amongst adoring grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousins he'd never met.
this christmas:
i loved the sight of: snowflakes falling on chubby pink cheeks barely peeking out of a head to toe baby bundle. a beautifully lit tree standing tall next to a roaring fireplace. grandparents smitten by their 6 little grandchildren.
i loved the sound of: family togetherness via the infamous "rock band". a rich and sweet violin solo carrying christmas melodies all throughout the chapel. a baby boy discovering his voice.
i loved the smell of: hot wassail on the stovetop. christmas breakfast from all the way in the basement (enough to get me out of bed!)
i loved the taste of: gooey cinnamon caramels. soft molasses cookies. juicy clementines. sticky brown sugar bacon. shelly's slush. vanilla ice cream with homemade caramel sauce. buttery squash (calories don't count at christmas right?)
i loved the feel of: coming inside from the cold to a warm home. new thermal pj's. super soft socks. being surrounded by loved ones we've missed so much. cuddling up at night to stay warm. our first christmas as a family of three. knowing the true reason for the season and feeling so very blessed for all that we have!

WE HOPE YOU ALL HAD A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

love my beanie boy.

just chillin owey style. (always with the little prayer hands!)
this is one of the beanies i made last week. personally, i think it's really cute. the giant poof ball on top may be a little indulgent on my part (he may kill me when he's 17), but i just couldn't help myself!
so, we're off to wintry wyoming tomorrow bright and early. wishing you all the merriest of christmases and we'll be sure to post o's first christmas when we get back!

domesticated

anyone who knows me well knows that i fall a little short of "domestic goddess" status. don't like to cook, don't like to clean, pretty poor excuse for a housewife in general. i'm not exactly sure what has gotten into me the past few days, but this weekend i made dinner 3 nights in a row, baked and iced sugar cookies, and to top it all off, crocheted 3 beanies for little o (we ARE heading for the snow in a few days after all). by the end of the day yesterday clint was scratching his head wondering who the heck i was and what i did with his wife. not that he was complaining!

and here's a little sneak peak of our little christmas elf:



don't look at our pathetic fake tree.



you looked didn't you?

false alarm... :(

i knew it was too good to be true. after sleeping all night friday, o went back to waking up every 2 HOURS last night! what's the deal? that christmas miracle was a little short lived. boo hoo.

it's a christmas miracle!

last night, december 14th, 2006, OWEN DAVID ERICKSON SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!
IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!!
(can you hear the angels singing? i can!!!)

christmas tag

TAGGED BY COUSIN AMANDA...
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I'd love to tie up pretty packages with beautiful wrapping paper and elegant bows, but who has time for all that?
2. Real tree or artificial? Love real trees, but our first Christmas together we bought a cheap artificial one that we have yet to get rid of. Clint promised me that next year we'll get a real one.
3. When do you put up the tree? As soon as we can. I'd be good with the day after Thanksgiving, but that doesn't always happen.
4. When do you take the tree down? January
5. Do you like eggnog? Not so much.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I'm not sure about favorite, but the one I remember the most was a GIANT cabbage patch kid type doll.
7. Do you have a nativity scene?Yes. Not the prettiest one in the world, but it does it's job to remind us of the real reason for the season.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My dad. What do you get for the man who has everything?
9. Easiest person to buy for? Mique - I know she'll dig anything homemade or sentimental.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I honestly have no idea.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. Ours are coming I promise!
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I really do like Christmas movies. My latest favorite is Elf, but I also love White Christmas, the new Miracle on 34th street and The Polar Express.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually around Thanksgiving.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can remember
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mom's cheese danish.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Probably O Holy Night. I love Silent Night too.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? This year we will be traveling to Wyoming for a white Christmas.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?Of course!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I prefer a star. Right now we have a cowboy angel though.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning. Tony and I are notorious for waking mom and dad up every few hours starting around 2 am asking if we can go downstairs yet. I still don't sleep well on Christmas Eve even though I'm now Santa!
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Frantic shopping malls and parking lots.
24. Do you buy gifts for your pets? No. Poor Diego.
25. Have you ever been Christmas caroling? Heck Yeah. I love caroling. My favorite time was as a freshman at BYU because we showed up at people's door with our whole ward singing - that's like 200 people!
26. Hot chocolate or hot apple cider? Apple cider of course!

I love Christmas because:
It is a good time to reflect on the things that are most important in life: friends, family, and the gift of our Savior.

blessed.

last sunday, december 2nd was owen's blessing. it was so fun to have friends and family in town (thank you so much to all who traveled near and far to be there) and to celebrate our beautiful little boy. i was a nervous wreck because usually o is pretty fussy at church - 11 am just isn't the best time - right when he starts getting tired for a nap. i was super worried that his dad would go to bless him and he would scream his head off. but, he was a champ. no crying whatsoever! i realized afterwards and after a huge sigh of relief that my stomach was totally in knots! i didn't realize how anxious i was! anyhow- afterwards my mom hosted a little luncheon (thanks again mom!) and we got more time to hang out with the fam. i of course didn't take any pictures, but with my sis and my father-in-law being there with their amazing cameras and skills, i didn't have to. here is some of what they captured:


dad with his baby boy




erickson 3- happy family!



so serious...


mendioroz grandkids: owen, julia, jonathan, & andrew






thumbsucker!


all tuckered out after his long day and happy to be held by grandpa!

mommy revelations

a couple of neat revelations lately that i thought i'd share for as a reminder of what a miracle motherhood is and how much it truly teaches us about God's plan.
on the way home from thanksgiving at mique's house my dad put on amy grant's christmas. one of my favorite christmas songs came on and i loved listening to the lyrics again with a fresh new perspective:

I have traveled
Many moonless night
Cold and Weary
With a babe inside
And I wonder
What I've done
Holy Father
You have come
Chosen me now
To carry your son

I am waiting
in a silent prayer
I am frightened
by the load i bear
In a world as cold as stone
Must I walk this path alone
Be with me now
Be with me now

Breath of Heaven
Hold me together
Be forever near me
Breath of Heaven

Breath of Heaven
Lighten my darkness
Pour over me, your holiness
For your holy Breath of Heaven

Do you wonder
As you watch my face
If a wiser one, should of had my place
But I offer-all I am
For the mercy-of your plan
Help me be strong
Help me be
Help me


of course this song is from mary's perspective, but i have such a new appreciation for the inadequacy she must have felt to be the mother of the son of God. as i listened to these words looking down at my sweet boy in the car, i started crying as i realized that i am a mother of a son of god as well and that He has put so much trust in me and will help me to raise this child if i will let Him. i love this season that reminds us of that tiny newborn babe, and it is so neat to experience it for the first time with our own tiny newborn babe.



i also loved reading this scripture this week:

"But behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me- but he will show that he hath not.
For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee, O house of Israel.
Behold, I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."


i've read this so many times and at different times it has meant different things. but SO pertinent right now.

new tricks...

a few days ago owen turned two months old - i meant to post that day, but never got around to it. i can't remember why - most likely i was doing laundry or watching "what not to wear" (love that show!) lame excuses, i know.
i can't believe how fast the past two months have flown, and i feel like i am kind of getting the hang of this mom thing. it has been so fun to watch this little guy grow up and learn new things - my favorite of which is SMILING! seriously, this kid is a lady killer! i must admit, since o is not what you might call an "easy" baby, i was a bit worried that i wasn't quite cut out for motherhood. but the total joy that fills my heart when that kid looks up at me with that HUGE grin makes every bloody-murder-scream absolutely 100% worth it. and now that he has learned to smile and recognizes my face and voice more the crying has subsided a lot and our little o is all in all a much happier kid. i am so excited to see more of his personality come out but i also just don't want him to get any bigger! i guess the trick is to savor every second, right?
so, here are some of the latest pics and tricks...

for whatever reason, lots of drool lately... so we've resorted to bibs.




diego has finally warmed up to owen - he tries to cuddle with him (at this point he is so attention deprived he'll cuddle with anyone!!)




our new bedtime ritual - o LOVES the bath and it is the perfect solution for not wanting to go to bed. sorry for the little boy parts - i forget how to use photoshop.




ok this is the craziest one. this kid is sooo strong. he has been holding his head up since he was born, but his latest thing is that he wants to sit and stand. he loves standing like this on clint's lap (unfortunately my short legs don't quite cut it). anyhow- is this nuts that he's doing this at 2 months?




love that grin!! (our camera doesn't focus very well for some reason)



seriously- how cute is this kid?



and just in case there was any doubt about what color eyes he has... just like mom.



i had to put in this picture because i think he looks sooo cute in this beanie.



we love our owey!!

give thanks

thanksgiving isn't usually a holiday i get super excited about - sure, we all love a full plate of turkey and mashed potatoes and hanging out with the fam, but more often than not it is a little anti-climatic and everyone winds up falling asleep watching football with ridiculously stuffed bellies.
this year thanksgiving meant so much more to me.




it didn't really hit me until i started thinking about where we were last year. we had just moved back to california from a summer in wyoming a few months before and were living in oceanside. we were happy to be close to the beach and close to my family - sad to be far again from the ericksons. but what i remember most about last year was the emptiness i had been feeling inside for the longest time after trying to get pregnant for so long. i don't think i really thought about it at thanksgiving specifically (at least not any more than i did EVERY day), but this year, with little owen in my arms i feel i have so much more to be thankful for.

first, i am thankful for faith and for a heavenly father that answers prayers. i don't know how many prayers were sent upwards pleading for Him to send us a child - and then afterwards to make sure he made it here safe and sound. for a long time i wondered why i wasn't able to receive that blessing and was full of self-doubt and questioning. now i know that the long wait has made the arrival of our son that much more amazing. i am so grateful that god in all his wisdom and mercy has blessed us with this beautiful boy at this exact time in our lives. i know he knows better than we do.

second, i am so thankful for family. i loved spending the day with family yesterday. we went up to my sisters house for the festivities and it just felt good to be surrounded by loved ones. (we missed you t&e!) we had fun playing with the kids and watching my sister and mom whip up an amazing feast while i had the excuse of tending to the baby (what will my excuse be next year for not cooking?? let's face it - i'm just no good in the kitchen!) mique was the perfect hostess not only for providing a great meal, but also had the cutest decorations that the kids had made and provided an opportunity for all of us to express our gratitude for one another. as i sat writing all the reasons i was grateful for my family members i realized it is just too impossible to put into words what family means to me. not only the family that i came from, but now my own little family that is growing. what a huge blessing to have a wonderful husband and a sweet baby boy to remind me of the things that matter most in life. what a blessing to be surrounded by people who know you so well, and love you anyways.

third, i am thankful for friends. life as a new mom is not the most socially invigorating time shall we say. i spend most days talking to a baby and a dog. if i'm lucky i get out of the house once, maybe twice, and if i'm really lucky i get to go on a walk with fellow-new-mom-friend amy. i think about how many "friends" i had in high school or college (we're talking quantity, not quality) and i realize now that i don't have nearly as many friends now as i did then, but the friendships i do have are solid and are people that i would do anything for. i am grateful for mature friendships that go beyond going to the mall together and talking about boys. i am grateful for meaningful conversations, good laughs, and support that i know will always be there for me and my family.

that pretty much sums it up. this year i am so grateful for faith, family, and friends.

a few of our favorite things...

some things in life you just can't live without. others you just don't want to. here is a list of a few of my favorite things as of late:

argyle

this is what owen wore to church today and i can't get enough of it. i have always been a fan of argyle, but who knew it could be so dang cute? (don't you love that serious look on his face? and of course how he is practically pointing to the argyle as if he knew mom would have to blog about it!)

soothies

i love these things... as does owen. he is a binkie snob and won't take anything else. hey - fine with me. i think they're cute anyways!

snuggling

i have always been a snuggler and hoped that baby o would be too. he sure is! can't get enough of it! mom's happy!

lamby pj's and softy blankets

i think these are the cutest pj's i've ever seen. thank goodness for hand-me-downs and good thing auntie m has such great taste! and i swear this blanket was made for me more than for any baby. i am a sucker for the super softy ones!

hoodies

what's a california boy without his hoodie?

manna from heaven

so if you're wondering who the blonde lady is with the super white baby - she is just the lady advertising the miracle sling that has been an absolute LIFESAVER the past few weeks. owen LOVES to be held, and although i love to hold him, if i were to ever leave the house or get anything done, something had to give. per recommendation from the nurse that came to our house, i got this "ultimate baby wrap" and could not be happier with the purchase. this is how we survived 3 hours of church today without any crying. don't have any pictures of us in it yet - clint says i look like a kangaroo in a toga. personally, i could care less what it looks like! it's AMAZING!

we are having so much fun with our little man. i can't believe how quickly he is growing up!

generous.

love you carlie. so generous. so freakin talented. making us all look bad. but we are happy to reap the benefits or you wonderdom and unselfishness. thanks for the package- i LOVE it - and if owen knew any better he would love it too!



check her out at her website and etsy store
cutest binkie clips ever and she made the burp cloths too! i love the fishy fabric!






THANKS CAR!

it's what you wear from ear to ear!

i couldn't resist posting all of these pictures of the first smiles we've caught on camera (don't mind the fact that it was a cell phone camera - but hey, there's no time to get the real camera when your kid busts out with these faces!)

it starts out like this...



and then moves into this...



and before you know it...



a full blown, melt-your heart, ear to ear SMILE!



couldn't you just eat him up?
gosh, i love this kid!

welcome to the world...

just thought i'd send out a little "welcome" post to some of owen's newest friends:

ZACHARY AARON O'FARRELL
october 12th, 2007
12:10 pm



any of you who have ever met aaron know that zachary is a
miniature version of daddy!
we're so glad that you are here safe and sound!
so fun to welcome babies within weeks of eachother with
a friend that i've had forever. congrats brookie!



AUDRA KATHRYN CLARK
october 28th, 2007
1:21 am
7 lb 6 oz, 19.7 inches



since mommy amy and i have gone through
this whole pregnancy thing
together, glad she's finally in the new-mom boat with me! audra
and owen will be best friends whether they like it or not so we can have
lots of mommy play-dates!

ketchup...

so its time to play catch-up ( i just had visions of my 6th grade teacher Mrs. McFarland hanging ketchup bottles from the ceiling on catch-up day - so clever...) i know it has been a few weeks since i have posted and you all are dying to know where we've been. honestly, i don't even know. just getting used to life as a mom i guess! well, that's not entirely true i suppose - a few things have gone on in the life of the ericksons that are worth writing about.
here's what we've been up to:


SURPRISE!

a few weeks ago my whole family conspired to throw my sister mique a surprise party for the big 3-0.


here she is with bf chrissy, little drew-drew and my mom. mom did most of the work and miq was mostly surprised. all in all it was really fun to beat her at her own game (a few years ago miq managed to pull off two huge surprise parties in one summer - for my parents 50th b-days and for her hubby josh's 30th.) it was fun to see her on the other end. it was also good to see aunts and uncles and cousins that i haven't seen in awhile and for them to get a chance to meet owen. he was a hit!


BOO!


halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays- i have been known for some pretty amazing costumes if i may say so myself, but this year - no such luck. i couldn't bear the thought of spending $50 to get a costume for o especially since we had no where to go. (sorry- i know you were looking forward to pics of him as a pumpkin or something - i failed you) plus, clint had class, and i unfortunately found out i had mastitits and my scary halloween was spent in pain and at the doctor's office. thanks to grammy for watching the babe while i got checked out - that was the first time i'd been away from owen for more than 5 minutes. it was so weird!! so- my halloween ended up with clint finding me eyes half open sprawled on the bed with a percocet hangover watching a show about tornados. what a good costume. definitely one to remember.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

yes, i am also another year wiser... thanks to all who remembered and made it a great day. those of you who didn't - i see how it is. :)
i had actually really forgotten about my birthday this year since i have strangely not been thinking much about myself lately (funny how motherhood does that to you) so it was a pleasant surprise! i went shopping with mom (remind me not to try on any more clothes for a few more months and after a few more pounds have come off!) and then later went to dinner with the rest of the fam.
some highlights:

flowers from dad







a necklace from mom that i think i will wear everyday for the rest of forever




meeting up with miq and her girlfriends to pick up her homemade gift - an advent calendar (she has outdone herself once again!)




a weekend getaway with clint and owen



yeah- clint took us to our old stomping grounds for the weekend. thought we'd show little o where the magic all started. we spent the weekend hanging out in orange county and remembered why we loved huntington beach so much. if you look close enough at the pic you'll see how happy o was to be in the stroller. poor boy just loves to be held. anyhow- thanks clint! we loved it!

thanks to all friends and family that make these 28 years so worth celebrating!