OK OK Christmas Pics Are Here

Sorry for not getting them up sooner but we have been busy playing with Christopher. He hasn't been feeling well...we think it's his teeth and he hasn't let Bobbie or I out of his sight without a huge fit being thrown. Here are pics from Christmas Eve Vigil at church, opening presents on Christmas morn and visiting Grandpa Banks' house on Christmas day. The favorite presents seem to be the Thomas the Tank Engine toy and his Little People Pirate Ship. So I guess he will be a swarthy train conductor or a timely buccaneer!

Christopher Visits Santa

Christopher got to tell Santa everything he wanted for Christmas. He already has his two front teeth... at least on the bottom. He had a great time.

Fun on Chisrtophers First Birthday

Our house has been converted in to a Toys R Us! Chris got some really nice thing from family and friends. Mommy and Daddy got him the red car. He loved driving his buddy Nolan's in Cali this summer. He rode all over the place!

We Have Been Elfed Again

Check the Banks Fam out here...

Birthday Breakfast with Santa

Christopher is a ONE YEAR OLD!!! We watched his birth dvd this morning and he enjoyed the present his daddy picked out for him. Watch him dance!

Christopher's First Halloween

Christopher took in quite a haul especially when you account that he fell asleep before we were done. He had a ball...

Ft Massac Part 2

Here's some pictures taken by our friend Mary Jarvis. Mary's daughter & Christopher's buddy Alyna Jarvis joined too.

Ft Massac Encampmant Part 1

Christopher was by far the most photographed child at the Encampment. People loved to see him riding on mom's back in the pack-basket.

Football

Daddy and Christopher prepare to watch the homecoming football game.

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Christopher made his first trip to the Pumpkin Patch. He had lots of fun picking out pumpkins. He even shook a corn husk or two!

Hunting & Trains

Christopher had fun Sunday. He wient with Mommy and Daddy to the Southern Illinois Hunting & Fishing Days and got a cool "Daddy's Hunting Buddy" hat. He also got to play with his Lionel Train hat and whistle.

County GOP HQ Opening

Christopher & Daddy are two peas in a pod and making the rounds at the Williamson Co Republican Headquarters Grand Opening. Future Senators Banks & Banks!

Ya-ya-ya

Day Care Picnic

Elephants on Parade

Christopher got to march in the Labor Day Parade. He had lots of fun!

New Foods

I can eats some better things than that ol mushy stuff. I like these puff thingys!

Look at Me

Christopher is getting bigger by the minute. As the pictures show, he learned a new trick! No leaving the bedrail down now. Last night he learned how to put his feet in the right place to sit up on his own. Still army crawling but it's not going to be long...

Christopher's First Word

Christopher said his first word today. Shawn was in a meeting and Christopher looked at mommy and said, "Dah-dah!" Mommy about choked and ask if he wanted his daddy. He then said, "Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah!"

Well Dah, dah hated to miss it but Christopher has said it repeatedly since. Dah, dah is happy!

Fun at the County Fair

Christopher had lots of fun with his Uncle Casey at the Williamson County Fair. Boring daddy wanted to talk politics but Casey knows how it all works. Win the baby fabulous prizes!

Great-Grandpa Banks & Fun Around the Pool

Chris got to spend the whole day with his Great-Grandpa Banks. Herschell lives in Whittier and was glad to meet Chris. We had a great time. We got to eat their Fourth of July Picnic at the home with Grandpa. Grandpa had Jo-Jo the teddy bear for Chris and he has really played with it. Chris also got to spend time in and around Steve & Nap's pool. Chris like driving Nolan's little red car.

Flyin to Cali

We have made it to Steve & Nap's house in California. We were delayed in St. Louis for two hours but Chris did really well on the flight. Only had one little hiccup on the way. Bobbie feed him on the way up to relieve the pressure in his ears. At some point we must have changed altitude because his ears started bothering him. A few quick sips off the bottle and Chris was right as rain. He is a good boy. He is having a bit of difficulty adapting to the new time change but he will probably have that down on the day we come back! Pics are Nolan & Daisy, Chris asleep at the airport and Chris having fun with daddy.

March of the Puffins

Christophers First Trip to the Zoo

We saw elephants, sea lions, penguins, hippos, gorillas, and all kinds of other animals. Chris had a good time. He really liked the penguins and puffins. I will post a video of that as well. Tried to find 3 geocaches and only found one. Oh well. After a nap, Chris is ready to play some more!

Team Banks Discover Geocaching

The Banks family has discovered a new hobby. It is called "Geocaching" Here is a Geocaching.com's description, "Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users. Participating in a cache hunt is a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a gps unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should try to leave something for the cache."
Basically it is a treasure hunt. We have been wanting to do some more family activities and wanting to walk more. This combines the two and is a lot of fun. Here are some pics from our Tunnel Hill cache. Tunnel Hill is an old steam train tunnel which is now a state trail. The pic of Shawn is once we found the cache, which is the plastic box on the rock. You sign the log book contained inside and take one of the treasures inside called "swag." You then leave your own swag for someone else to find.
We are really enjoying it. Christopher seems to really enjoy himself unless it gets too hot.
We will try to document some of our geocaches here but put more on our travel log.