December Fun

We've enjoyed a lot of festivities this holiday season, which is good because the 70 and 80 degree temps don't do much for my Christmas spirit!

This year we took the kids to Bass Pro Shop for pictures with Santa.  We actually went before Thanksgiving and it was still crazy busy.  I guess everyone else thought they were going to beat the crowds, too.  In any case, they were both happy to see Santa and Santa himself was pretty smitten with Emily.  When Santa asked Ethan what he wanted for Christmas, I think he got nervous because all he said was "a dinosaur."  That's even after he had been rattling off a list of 3-4 things consistently when we asked him what he was going to tell Santa.  So, we get the picture with the jolly old elf and are checking out the fish tank when Ethan remembers he did not tell Santa his entire list!  [cue sad, mopey child]  So, back to Santa's Wonderland we go.  I cut to the front of the line, explained the situation to Santa's helper who was fortunately very understanding and let us have a quick word with the big guy without having to wait in the long line again.  He got it right this time... "I want a dinosaur called Garby.  He's a garbage truck dinosaur.  And a Ty.  And a Revvit, please."  We dodged a bullet there!  I'm just glad he realized before we left the store, otherwise we would've had a meltdown for sure.

On December 1st, Santa's scout elf "Tommy" arrived at our house to visit the kids.  Ethan was so excited to have Tommy back!  He has been asking about him since last Christmas.  They are reunited and it feels so good :)

We also decorated a gingerbread house that Gabby bought.  Ethan did a great job decorating the house this year and not eating ALL the candy.  He ate some, but a lot of candy ended up on the house.  And this actually held his attention for almost an hour!  He doesn't actually like gingerbread, but every night he asks for a piece so that he can eat off the candy.

Since the weather has been nicer than it was last year, we were able to get out to the Christmas Tree farm in Elgin to cut down a tree.  We had a great time picking out a tree, watching Dad cut it down and yelling "timberrrr!" and then bringing it home to decorate it.  Ethan was excited to finally get his own tree.  We got it home and put some lights on it and then Ethan decorated it with some ornaments and candy canes.  A few days later, Ethan was "playing" in his playroom after dinner and came into the kitchen with a blue/green face.  Immediately I knew he had gotten into the (rainbow) candy canes.  I asked him if he had eaten one, to which he replied "no."  Likely story!  Upon further investigation, one candy cane wrapper was recovered inside a play tent near the Christmas tree.  It's a mystery how that wrapper got there, but we went ahead and took the remaining candy canes off the tree to prevent any more theft.

We also went to the Christmas parade in Georgetown with Gabby, Peepaw, Memaw, Papaw and Aunt Cindy earlier this month, and last week we went through the Round Rock trail of lights.  So many fun memories!

More Christmas posts to come... Tis the season!

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we went to Gabby & Peepaw's and it was so nice to just be able to drive up the road for the day and then come back home! We are so thankful to have them close by!

We attempted to play a game of Thanksgiving Day Parade BINGO which was a homemade game in which I created cards with the various float/balloon characters in the parade and we marked them with candy corns when we saw them.  Sounds fun, right?  Well, it could've been fun if there weren't umpteen thousand commercials and interviews during the "parade" (if we can even still call it that) giving one little man more than enough time to eat all his candy corns and loose interest in the game.  Next year, we will be recording it from start to finish so that we can play our bingo game in a reasonable amount of time.  Third world problems, I know! 

After the failed attempt at watching the parade we enjoyed a gigantic Thanksgiving lunch made up of all the traditional foods that make this my favorite meal of the year!  Troy could take it or leave it and I think Ethan is taking after Dad on this one.  Seriously though, how could anyone not love sweet potato casserole?!?  Its beyond me.  BUT, there is still hope... It looks like Emily is going to be a Thanksgiving fanatic like her Mama.

We gave her a turkey leg to reenact a scene that we did with Ethan on his very first Thanksgiving (granted she is about 7 months older than he was at the time,) and she seriously tried to devour that thing.  We had to pry it out of her hands after she got it to her mouth for fear of her choking on it.  We did give her a few tiny pieces of turkey to eat and she loved it.  And with as much as she loves sweet potatoes, I have a feeling sweet potato casserole will not be lost on her.

Remember this... ?

We have so much to be thankful for not just on Thanksgiving, but every single day!  These beautiful, healthy children top the list!!!

(Excuse the cherry pie "leftovers" on Ethan's face, and Emily's runny nose)

Family Pictures

We had family photos done a few weeks back and they turned out super cute... especially the ones of the kids!  Here are some of my favorites :)

8 Months and Oh, So Cute!

This sweet little one is 8 months old today.  I can't believe we will be celebrating her birthday in just a few short months!  Time is flying.  She is such an incredibly happy baby and we are so thankful for her and her cheerful disposition.  Speaking of happiness, she FINALLY started giggling for us!

 She loves to play with her activity cube, look at/chew on books, swing outside, chew on toy keys, and play with her stuffed animal toys that sing and light up.  She just started trying to roll and kick to get to something that she sees and wants.  I'm sure that means its only a matter of time before she figures out how to crawl.  Anyone have ideas for baby-proofing a 4 year old? :)

 I caught this early morning snuggle as I was in the kitchen making coffee.  What a way to start the day!  Of course, as soon as he heard me snap a picture he scampered off.

 Smiley girl looking at a book

 Snug as a bug!  Swinging outside on a crisp fall day

She LOVES the jumperoo!  And her doggy, too.

Normally we are trying to protect Emily from the rambunctiousness that is her brother, but she just thinks he's funny.  Seeing their bond grow is one of the most heartwarming things.  8 months ago I was worried about how he would adjust to a sibling and I think its safe to say that he adjusted just fine.  Some days he even loves her!  Okay, most days.  Other days he tries to poke her in eye, but when asked why his answer goes something like this "because I like her."  Guess we still have some work to do on appropriate ways to show affection :/

Everyone in our house is getting some rest again for the most part after that evil time change.  This year was particularly rough for both of the kids, but it looks like we've finally adjusted (knock on wood.)  Emily has also been having some tummy troubles that have woke her up in the middle of the night for a week or more, but that seems to be resolving as well. 

 

There is just nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby 

Emily's firsts this month include:

•  laughing 

• a TOOTH (lower left)

•  holding her own bottle

•  a (not very good) attempt at a ponytail.  Mom needs help! :)

- eating meat (chicken... she liked it!)

(This video is of her eating squash, not chicken, but it's too sweet not to share!)

One more random picture from her 8th month of life...

 

With a super GIANT teddy at Costco.  Daddy said that better not be on her Christmas list! :)

School Pics

Finally we got some school pics that are good.  Not just good actually, they are priceless!  I had gotten to the point where I didn't even bother dressing Ethan up for his pictures at school because he was always either crying or looking like a deer in headlights.  Honestly, I was starting to wonder if the photographers were even good with kids. But this time... totally different story.  Such sweet smiles on these two, and I think Ethan loved having his sister come and get him from class so that they could have their picture taken.  My heart is full!  Well, it was before it melted anyways <3

Lucky #7

Well, it happened again... I'm half a month late with this post, but late seems to be the status quo with us so I'm just keeping with the trend.

I can not believe that our tiny baby girl is already 7 months old.  The other night she fell asleep in my arms and I just sat there and held her because already the days/nights of snuggling and rocking our sleeping baby are mostly a thing of the past.  And I miss it.  It all seems to be going so much faster this time and I often wish I could just make time stand still.  Anyways, enough with the sappy monologue... here is our sweet girl at 7 months!

 She is really obsessed with crinkling the stickers

And gnawing on anything she can get into her mouth!

She tries to put EVERYTHING in her mouth.  She particularly likes things she shouldn't have like ziplock bags and grocery sacks...  in general things that crinkle. And straws!  She will practically jump out of my arms to get to a straw.  Oh, and the days of being able to hold her and get things done are a thing of the past.  I tried to make Ethan a sandwich while holding her the other day and she was grabbing at the lunch meat as fast as I could put lay it on the bread. 

 Now that she's sitting really well, she likes to be upright all the time.  She will sit at the little activity cube and play for a good 20 minutes by herself.  She also loves to jump in her jumperoo and play in her activity center now. This month she sat in a highchair out at a restaurant for the first time and she also swung for the first time at the park.  Such a big girl :)

Video: Emily loves to swing!  Brother is not too sure about letting her swing in "his" swing, even though he has a new big boy playset

She's also doing really well at school now.  She's very happy there, and eating and sleeping well.  Each day they send pictures of what she is up to, and here are just a couple of my favorites from the last month.

 Emily paints for the first time

Such a fascinating giraffe!

And because who doesn't love pictures of this little angel, here are a few more just for fun!

 She is very interested in Molly and grabs a handful of fur if Molly gets too close

 Helping Mommy fold laundry after nap time

 "Camping" with brother in the back yard

 No camping trip is complete without graham crackers! She just got the wrapper, but loved it.

 Daddy and Emily at a birthday party

Sitting like a big girl in her own chair.

Video: Emily really LOVES bath time.  She had an outdoor bath a few weeks ago and loved splashing in the water