Christmas 2008

BEFORE the crazy 2 year old got up...



AFTER...



Enjoying her new dollhouse...



The big gift this year, a new kitten from Daddy!





She has yet to be named and amazingly isn't dead yet. Alexis has carried her around by her neck and hind quarters. She has already used up 6 of her 9 lives. Maybe we should call her Lucky.

Hannah in the action...



Opening their stockings...



Alexis loved the apple, orange, and pear that was in her stocking. Go figure!

We had a very Merry Christmas and a great day celebrating our Savior's birth. We baked a cake and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. Alexis was so excited that the day included birthday cake, her most favorite treat right now.

Santa Photo 2008

I took the girls to have their annual picture taken with Santa. We stood in line (2 days before Christmas) for over an hour. Here is the lovely photo...



Fits their personalities to a "T". Alexis is scared of everything and Hannah really doesn't care...about anything.



Just for laughs, here is last years photo...

Disneyland

We finally made it to Disneyland yesterday. It was quite the day. It was a very busy day at the park and pondering on whether or not we would ever return, we decided we would return on a Tuesday from 10AM-12PM. We made a decision to take only one stroller...bad idea. By the time we left, our arms were exhausted and we were a bit cranky with each other.

We have been talking to Alexis about seeing Mickey Mouse for weeks. We finally got there to meet him and she was terrified. She clung to me and refused to look at him. She was more receptive to Minnie Mouse but it took some coaxing to get her to hug her and she refused to turn around so I could take a picture. However, she was not scared of any of the rides. She even rode the Pirates of the Caribbean without a problem. She had a great time with her friend Cole and the adults even got to enjoy a nice beverage during nap time. All in all, we had a successful trip to the Magical World of Disney.

Houston, We Have a Tooth!

Hannah pulled a fast one on me. Alexis didn't get her first tooth until she was 10 months old and Hannah is cutting her first tooth...at 5 1/2 months! Much to my surprise, I put my finger on her aching gums and discovered the little booger. I doubled and tripled checked but sure enough, it's there. She is having quite a rough time, poor little babe. I wish they didn't have to go through cutting teeth, but at least they won't remember it, right?

Now for the most obnoxious outfit of the year...


































Keep scrolling...









































Ta-da!


Here is Alexis in the same outfit in what seems like so many moons ago...



They both had to wear it...at least once.

A New Milestone

Hannah started solid food this week. A couple of weeks ahead of the recommended 6 month mark, but she was ready. The girl loves it! She gets so excited and wants to help you with the spoon. I have given her a taste of bananas, carrots, squash, pears, and applesauce and none of which she has turned down. She eagerly awaits her next taste testing session. She also graduated into a highchair in which her Daddy picked up the camera and captured these shots. A little tear, as I realize she is getting big, and fast.

The most exciting news is that Alexis is fully potty-trained! I have waited a week to make this announcement because I wanted to be sure. She even wears panties to bed without any accidents. I am so proud of her!

She is also growing up before my eyes. Scott has taken a new liking to my camera and when I go to download pictures, I find a few that he has taken. Below are a couple of pictures that I discovered and I can't believe that is my firstborn baby! She looks so grown-up.

This is a crazy life, but I am loving every second.

Christmas Jammies

We put the Christmas tree up today. I have found that Christmas is so much more exciting now that I have children. I feel like I am six again...counting down the days to the big event. Alexis wanted to help me put the ornaments on but didn't quite get the concept. She was insisting on putting the ornaments inside the tree. Later, I very carefully removed all the ornaments from the depths of the tree. After their baths tonight, I put them in their Christmas jammies and thought I would make it a photo op. Of course, patience is key in times like these and mine is running thin. I was thankful that I was not a real photographer in that moment. Getting two kids to look in the same direction, much less smile, is a feat on it's own. Anyway, here are the results of my photo op.





During this so-called photo-op, Alexis displayed some of her affection toward her sister.



She then displayed the true relationship between siblings.



Gotta love 'em.

Time flies...

Tonight I put my Hannah in her Papasan chair and realized that it will soon need to be retired. Not only is she almost too big for it but she can also effectively wiggle herself out of it. It is sad...they grow too fast.

Hannah at 6 days old and approximately 5 lbs 10oz

Hannah tonight at 5 months 9 days and approximately 15 lbs

She rolls...

We have waited for this day for a long time. Hannah can officially roll over the hard way...back to front. You go girl!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Work in Progress

Scott and I bought a swing set for Alexis on Craigslist. It has become Scott's project to fix it up over the last month. Some sanding, staining, and elbow grease and we have ourselves a pretty nice set. It needs a roof and a climbing ladder and then we can call the project complete. Complete or not, Alexis in enjoying it. The weather here has been in the high 70's, so it is perfect for playing outdoors. I captured some pictures of her today enjoying her new toy.











I hope I am not jinxing myself, but I am going to venture out and say that Alexis has not had one potty accident in 4 days. I am so proud of her! She has done great and has even graduated to using the big potty, all on her own accord. Last night was the first night without a nighttime diaper and she did great! Tomorrow is the true test. We are traveling to visit Grammy and Papa and here is hope that she does well on her first major outing in panties! I am so not in the mood to clean up any more toddler poo.

Hannah is still getting over the cold that just keeps hanging on. Poor girl is pretty good during the day but at night she gets a pretty bad case of the sniffles. She is powering through it though with just mild crankies along the way. She is learning to sit and will probably crawl soon after. Today I was practicing with her and I would hold her tummy off the ground. She was making distinct crawling motions. Just a little bit more upper body strength and she will have it down. Two kids being mobile is quite overwhelming. Pray for us, we will certainly need it.

Hannah hanging outside with the girls...



Showing off her skills...

Extreme Close-Up

I love this shot of Alexis that I took tonight. She is so pretty and I think this shot captures her beauty. Scott and I laugh (and cry) when we think of the boys knocking on the door in a few years. Brown eyes and blonde hair...what a combo.

I have been MIA because I have been working so much. I finally decided that there was no way that I could continue working as much as I am, so I am going back to my 6 shifts a month. Ten shifts is insane, or should I say I was going insane working 10 shifts? I feel much better now and I hope that I can continue to provide to my family that little extra that we need.

I can't post without a picture of both my girls. Here is one of Hannah tonight. She is so cute and the most easy-going baby. Oh how I love my girlies...

Butterball

Here are a few cute pictures taken over the weekend. I can't help it...I have to show off my beauties. Hannah is the resident butterball, weighing in at 14lbs 2oz as of Thursday. She is already outgrowing some of her 6-9 month clothes. Slow down little one...

Toothbrushes

Last night Scott was out of town on business. With history in the making, I turned on the television to watch the poll returns. Alexis was less than thrilled because we weren't watching cartoons but I wanted her to witness history, even if she won't remember. Of course, she paid no attention but I was pretty excited to see the evening unfold. Soon after Obama was announced as the 44th president of the United States, I started getting Alexis ready for bed. I told her we would be going "ni-night" soon. We always brush her teeth before bed so when she disappeared into my bathroom I just assumed she went to get her toothbrush. She comes out with both mine and Scott's toothbrush. A little unusual, but okay. She is brushing her teeth and soon disappears again. She brings me my toothbrush and tells me that she got it wet for me. This goes on a couple of more times. Then it dawns on me. Where the heck did she get the water from?? I asked her and she didn't answer and went into the bathroom. I listened for the sink because I know she can get up there, but I heard no water running. She came back with wet toothbrushes again and was brushing her teeth. I asked again and she looked at me matter-of-factly and said, "out of the big potty, Mom". I just about died. I followed her in there and sure enough she was dipping the toothbrushes in the toilet. Yuck! Needless to say, we made a trip to the store today for new toothbrushes.

The Goodmama Love

I have found the Goodmama love, as they say. It's an elite club of cloth diaperer's around the world. You gotta get some, if you are into that type of thing. Scott would kill me if he knew how much they cost but they are so cute and that justifies everything. Suzanne (the owner and creator of Goodmamas) really figured something out. Moms will pay for their babies to have organic bamboo velour against their butts and cute prints to cover them up. Man, I am in love. Pretty sad considering it is something she poops in.

In the meantime, Hannah is completely unimpressed with her snazzy new diaper. She has found a new love for her hands and feet. She can hardly believe that they came in the total package. She is quite in awe of her new discovery.

It's the little things...