19 weeks and 20 weeks

In addition to having a rockin' Christmas, Emerson turned 20 weeks last week! I am also including the 19 week pics. I hope the next blog I'll be able to give an update on the Santa visit and our New Year's Eve. Have a great New Year's everyone!!! (the very last 20 week pic is my all-time favorite!)

Emerson's First Christmas

It will take a series of posts to get caught up after Christmas, but here's the first! We had a great Christmas! After spending the weekend prior in Toledo, we hunkered down in Columbus for a few days. Mia, Poppy, Auntie Jessi, and Uncle Jared all stayed at our house on Christmas Eve. We had a lovely evening, an early mass, followed by our yummy Christmas Eve dinner. Steak, shrimp, rolls, salad, etc. GOOD stuff! We played trivial pursuit and turned in by midnight. Jared and Jason stayed up for PlayStation until 2ish. This is why they got coal in their stockings. Christmas morning came too quickly! We were all a bit tired, but enjoyed a relaxing morning with coffee, fruit and cinnamon rolls. We exchanged gifts...and as you may have expected, Emerson made out! I made a turkey dinner, which was delicious! All the traditionals. Emerson got some great new toys for this next phase of development that's coming on oh-so quickly. He got musical mats, toys, some great books, a rubber alphabet playmat, adorable clothes, including a colts jersey and an OSU jersey. He also got some really cute Baby's 1st Christmas ornaments. On the 26th, we packed up and headed to Lancaster for a night with my Dad's siblings and mom. Emerson got to finally meet Great Aunts Beth and Laura, Great Uncles Jeff and John, and Great-Great Aunt Norma. We also got a visit from Santa that night! (those pics are coming in the next post...my camera died). Most importantly, Emerson got to meet his one and only cousin on my side of the family, Harper! Harper is Jared's 10-month old daughter. We loved having her for a few hours and can't wait for the next visit!

After a couple days of Christmas mayhem, we were glad to be at home for a few days.

Hanging out with Elmer

Trying out some of the new toys! He's very excited to grow into these!

Christmas Eve before Mass
Christmas day fun!

Dec. 26 with all the Linebergers (more to come!)

Here are two of my favorites from Christmas Day. In addition to constantly talking, Emerson is making lots of fun new faces, including this one. He sucks in his bottom lip, and puffs out his cheeks. It's irresistible! He's getting new hair as well, major growth in the last couple weeks! Could it be due to the squash I put in his oat cereal? Maybe! Either way, I want to eat his face off. He's sporting his new PJs. My family has a tradition of new PJs every Christmas Eve. The monkeys seemed fitting for Emerson. Along with new food and new faces, Emerson also has a new habit of singing himself to sleep. Whether he is being rocked, or alone in his crib, he will sing/moan until he falls asleep. He only does this when he's tired, so I'm sure it's a self soothing tool he's developed. He is exploring his voice constantly and will growl, squeel, and sing. We love every little mutter he makes.

A Very Toledo Christmas

On Friday, Emerson had his 4 month check-up (4 months and 2 weeks old). And he is happy, healthy, and doing everything he should be doing, and more. He weighed in at 18 lbs 2 0z. He's still in the 90s for his weight, but back on the charts. He's 27.5 inches long! He's starting to stretch out a bit, and although he weighs a lot, he's not as chubby as you might think. There is no mistaking, this boy is solid.

We celebrated Christmas in Toledo all weekend with the Z's. We had a great time with all the grandparents, great grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins, and second cousins! Emerson got to meet a lot of Jason's family that had never seen him. We had the big family gathering on Saturday, and just Jason's family on Sunday.

The monkey and his monkey

A tired boy snoozing with his Dad

A tired Dad, snoozing with his boy
This was the big party...and these are all the great-grandkids

Emerson with his Grandpa Z

He's starting to get this freeze-face for a lot of pictures.

Emerson with his Great Grandma Z

Zonked after the party

Bring on the mayhem! Emerson got some GREAT toys, books, and clothes.

Emerson loved his stocking stuffers!

All the Zielinski grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa Z

The Z grandkids...I love that Macy is holding Kendall in place

Freeze-face!

Emerson loves his cousin, Kendall

Emerson has a bigger belly! Kendall will be 2 in April.

Wildman!

Freeze-face!

Our "green" card

Elmer the Elf

I try to post these as I take them, but here's the photo from 2 weeks ago, at 17 weeks!Emerson puts EVERYTHING into his mouth! He loves that he can grab onto things. As soon as he gets hold of something, he shoves it into his mouth.

Emerson has a new buddy, Elmer the Elf. I pulled this out of a box of some gifts he received last Christmas. The Elf, the snowman pajamas, and the blue onesie were all gifts from family last year before he was born. Glad I remembered that bag of stuff before it was too late! He is obviously enjoying Elmer!

In an effort to finish up some Christmas shopping, Emerson, Auntie Jessi, Elmer and I headed to the mall on Friday. The more tired Emerson became, the tighter he held onto Elmer. Too cute!

Eighteen weeks! Emerson turned 18 weeks old! I'm not sure how old Elmer is, or he would have blocks too.

When Emerson gets tired, he tends to attack his toys. Similar to wrestling the hungry caterpillar, Emerson wrestles and tries to eat Elmer the Elf. You can see in the video below how he'll grab onto him and shove him into his face. Elmer even gets caught on Emerson's face a few times, so I had to pull him off. That darn elf. And the reason for the crying at the end, is Emerson poked himself in the eye!