A New Years Tradition

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Since Michael and I started dating, we have had a special New Years Eve tradition: we go to the beach at sunset, and toast the New Year with sparkling cider, sharing with each other our wishes for the New Year. This year was no exception, but for the first time, we shared our tradition with our baby Orion, and our neighbors Ivana and Jia Li. We brought leis and party hats, and ate cheese and crackers and chocolate kisses, and drank sparkling cider as the sun went down. We always like to be home for New Years Eve, so we can mark the change of the New Year this way. Here's to a peaceful and prosperous 2010!

Orion at 7 months

Over the 2 week holiday break, Orion progressed rapidly. While at my parents' house, he scooted all over the place, getting wherever he wanted to go. I think it was the big carpeted living room that helped him improve so quickly. Also on the Washington trip, he enjoyed his first swing ride, along with his cousins, and loved it! Then when we got home, we put him in his crib, and he immediately pulled up to standing. He is always pulling up on things now, and holding on while stepping side to side. Then, two days later, on New Years' Day, he started crawling. He is changing so fast! Now if we could just get him to learn to sleep by himself! Here are some cute pictures of our Orion from this month:

Christmas 2009

We spent Christmas at my parents' home in Washington. It was a wonderful week. It has been 6 years since I was able to be at my parents' house for Christmas Eve. Every Christmas Eve since I was born, my parents have done a family Christmas pageant with costumes, acting, and singing to reenact and celebrate the first Christmas. This is a beloved tradition, and one I've missed being a part of! I was so thrilled when this year I was able to play Mary, Michael played Joseph, and Orion was baby Jesus. My sisters both have babies as well, but Lauren and baby Elise were angels along with my sister Anna, and Anna's baby Cohen was in the flock with the shepherds. =) It really made my Christmas to have Orion be baby Jesus. I stripped him down to his diaper and wrapped a white sheet around him. He quietly observed the whole experience and played his part well-- he even sat in a wicker basket representing the manger. I loved being with my family, and singing the Christmas hymns with them as we shared again in a beloved tradition.

Elise, Lauren, and Anna

Orion as baby Jesus

Visiting my Grandma with my mom: 4 generations here!

the three Rasmussen babies: Cohen, Orion, and Elise. They played beautifully together! It will be very fun to watch them grow up together.

Holiday Concert

The annual holiday concert I am in charge of at the elementary school I teach at was a success. This year I chose "A Child's Dream" as the theme, and had a variety of songs that represented the hopes and dreams of children. All of the classes in the school performed, as well as the faculty. Thankfully, the holiday concert was the final occurrence before the holiday break! It was a joy-filled experience for the school community, and I think all the hard work was worth it.

Michael's Birthday

In the hustle and bustle of December, it's easy to overlook Michael's birthday, but this year we managed to really celebrate Michael's 35th! My father was in town that weekend (he must have brought the rain from Washington-- it was a wet weekend!), and he accompanied Michael, Orion and I to the Cirque du Soleil show in the big tent by the Santa Monica Pier. It was amazing!!! We loved the costumes, live music, gorgeous choreography, stunning feats, and variety. Definitely a first class entertainment. Orion enjoyed it too, when he wasn't asleep.

Then on Michael's actual birthday two days later, we had a family dinner and birthday cake. My two brothers Niel and Hans was there, as well as my dad, and our niece Astrid. Happy Birthday Michael!! May this be a wonderful year for you.

Orion at 6 months

I can't believe Orion is 6 months already. The day before Thanksgiving was his half birthday. He sits on his own now, is a wiz in his walker, gives kisses and zerberts, spits with his tongue out, scooches, rolls over easily, rocks on hands and knees, and I claim he can already match pitch. (Once while "playing piano", he played a middle C and immediately hummed the same note. Coincidence? I think not! )

We've had a wonderful few weeks. The weekend before Thanksgiving, Michael's mother Jolynn came to visit us, along with our nieces Heidi and Lydia. It was a short but wonderful visit. We spent the day at Santa Monica Pier, and had wonderful weather, and so much fun. It is so great to be able to share our little guy with other loving family members, and it's not too often we get to do that. Orion was so happy to see his grandma, he practically hyperventilated and rocked back and forth with excitement for like five minutes on his hands and knees. Then when she held him, he just rested his head on her shoulder to give her a hug, and then, without prompting, gave her a big kiss on the mouth. It was amazing. I couldn't believe he remembered her, since he was only 3 months when he last saw her. They definitely have a connection, the two of them. It made Jolynn very happy, since she so rarely sees him, that he does know and love her.

Last week, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving visiting my Aunt Jeanette and Uncle Dean in Arizona. We stayed with them in Phoenix, and enjoyed seeing the desert, and enjoying the warm dry climate, and the relative peace and quiet. Highlights of the trip were seeing my cousin Amy and her husband Derek and baby Nathan, having dinner with Michael's cousins David and Jake and their adorable families, hiking in a beautiful state park filled with saguaro cactus and rolling hills with views of mountains and mesas, going to the Botanical Gardens, hanging out in Scottsdale, seeing the Mesa Temple Christmas lights, and spending quality time with Aunt Jeanette and Uncle Dean, and enjoying the wonderful food of Thanksgiving. Other than the long car-ride home (9 hours of post-Thanksgiving traffic), Orion had a great time and loved meeting everyone.

This coming weekend, my Dad and brother Hans are coming to LA for a visit. I'll look forward to blogging about that soon! I'm thankful for family and the opportunity to share wonderful visits together.

The Collins Family, Thanksgiving 2009 in Pheonix, AZ

Orion at 5 months

A fun day at Babies R Us!

Yummy Toes...

Cereal on his 5th month birthday

So much to document this month! Orion is starting to sit up with help, and he wants to get everything into his hands and then his mouth. He has started an annoying habit of constantly pulling my hair and pinching my face with his dagger-sharp nails! He is a pro at eating his toes, he has graduated into the next phase of baby toys-- the exersaucer/jumper/walker stage. He currently has a walker our neighbors handed down to us. He wants to explore, but he can't quite do it yet (thankfully, since our house isn't baby proofed yet). He's trying to crawl, and he's rolling from his back to his front now. He has begun eating rice cereal, although it's more of an entertainment to him. He loves to grab the spoon, and loves to spit out the cereal. His laugh is adorable, and he loves to have fun. As long as you're entertaining him, he's a happy camper. Halloween was great fun-- we dressed Orion as a little pirate. Thanks to our friend Alicia for the homemade pants and shirt she made for Orion. We can't keep up with all these changes!!! Slow down next month, little guy!

First Halloween!