Henry's 8th week: New traditions?

As I mentioned in a previous post, we want to start putting up outside lights during the Thanksgiving break, but really, that will probably end up being a father and son tradition. So I decided that a nice tradition to start- that I could be more involved in- is contributing to Toys for Tots. I'd like Henry to pick out a toy he wants for Christmas and we'll donate it. Obviously, in the beginning, he won't be mature enough to handle giving away his new toy, so we'll probably buy two, but I want him to be joyful in giving to others- and I want him to be thankful for all we have. This year, I picked a train toy (yep!) and my little bear slept through the donation, but there will be many more years for him to place the toy in the pile.

So I initially got my camera out to capture this freshy-bathed babe (in a towel purchased by his Daddy of course)...

But it turned out to be a photo shoot of Henry and his new best friend. Lady has recently decided that this little intruder might be all right after all, and really likes being near Henry, so she popped in the pic unexpectedly to give him a kiss!

She is also very attentive to his cries- she runs right over to lick him and then looks at me as if to say, "He needs our help and licking's not working!"
I love Henry's expression- c'mon Lady, we're in the middle of a photo shoot!

It's amazing how much changes in 8 weeks! Henry is so much more alert and has really increased the baby babble. He makes coos and goos at us and at his toys, and he is really starting to hold his head up on his own. If I have him facing my chest, he'll push off and want to hold his head independent from me and look around.

Other than that, we've really been enjoying the coziness of the Christmas season. We decorated the tree as a family and yesterday we made gingerbread men.


Even as I'm enjoying all of this, I am also starting to mourn the fact that I will be going back to work soon. I love the people I work with and I need to go back, but it will be so hard to give up having Henry 24 hours a day. He's been constantly with me (including the interior) since last January, and I finally understand why moms cry when their children go off to Kindergarten- the bond between parent and child is one that will probably never cease to amaze me. Watch La Vita e Bella if you have any doubt.