Happy Feast of St. Nicholas!

Saturday we celebrated the feast day of St. Nicholas.  It was a tradition in our family to set out our shoes in front of the manger scene on the night before St. Nicholas' feast day in eager anticipation that we would find them filled the next day with candy and goodies.  I was excited this year to have a little shoe to fill and begin this new stage of my life as the giver, rather than the receiver.  I can't wait until the days when I can look down on those excited little faces as our family expands and they realize the significance of these Liturgical feast days.

This little man was quite excited to put his shoe out...next to his Manger Scene which is currently one of his favorite toys (besides the shoes themselves)

The big guy was quite excited to put his shoe out too ;)

After "St. Nicholas" came...Baby Einstein movie and truck for William with a few additions from Nana, and homemade fudge and chocolate for Zenith

William going through the goodies in his shoe

Paper is always the best part!

Vrooooom vroom!

Our real manger scene

William is making progress in the "moving" department.  He rolls and wiggles anywhere he wants to go, sits unassisted, stands on his own if I stand him up and put his hands on something to hold himself, and this morning I woke up to discover him sitting in his crib!  He must have figured out how to sit up on his own.  He is just starting to grab onto things and pull himself up and if you hold his hands, he walks.  I'm started to wonder if this kid is going to go straight to walking.  I've been trying to help him along with crawling (playing with him on the floor, encouraging him forward with his favorite toys), but he just doesn't seem interested.  We'll see!

At any rate, Daddy decided he'd show William how this "walking thing" is done.

One foot in front of the other...

We've had the opportunity to go to Mass three days in a row...First Saturday, Sunday, and tomorrow for the Immaculate Conception.  It's been a real treat since we don't get Daily Mass up at our church with the Priest being from NY.  Unfortunately, it's pretty tough on the kiddo since he'll be missing his most important nap of the day, three days in a row, but we'll get through it and have the rest of the week to recover.  Tomorrow being the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, both Zenith and I are making our Consecration to Mary after having prepared for the last 33 days.  It's a beautiful devotion and I highly recommend it!  What better way to unite ourselves to Our Lord than by consecrating ourselves to His Blessed Mother and asking that she keep us under her protecting mantel, purify our souls and then present them to her Son.

Hope everyone is having a good Advent so far.  Time to get a sleepy little guy to bed!

~Lindsay