Christmas Morning 2011

After we got to see everyone at Mom and Dad's, we went across the river to see all the aunties and uncles. We had so much fun! A little girl talk with Maggie, Jessy and Melissa. "Just Dance" was super fun. I even beat Jessy for high score on one dance. I have to brag about my one achievement because she's on an elite dance team and is uber talented. I'm sure next Christmas she will squash me like a bug. But it sure was fun trying to keep up with her. And it was fun to watch Uncle Paul and Uncle David out dance her on a belly dancing song. HILARIOUS! We spent the night at Aunty Theresa's and got to open the girls' stockings with Maggie and John, and Aunty Theresa and Uncle Bruce.

Christmas Eve 2011

This Christmas Eve we were able to go up to spend it with family in Albuquerque. It was so fun to see everyone and I think the best part for me was watching the girls have so much fun with all their cousins. I remember reading a saying somewhere that cousins are your first best friends. This was so true, especially when as we were leaving, Monica said she, Katie, and Julie all said they were the "bestest friends". I love it!

Mark and Emily built this awesome snowman pinata and I think it should be a tradition from now on. The kids each took a turn who wanted to, smallest to biggest, until Austin was able to smash it. Ashley didn't even get a shot at it! But I don't think she minded too much. 

 Mark and Emily put little goodie bags in the snowman with all the kids' names on them and Jillian loved her marshmallows! 

This was my favorite of all the cousins on the stairs. 

Baby Steps

Jillian has begun taking her first steps. 

She got this fun walking toy from Nana and Papa for her birthday and she loves it! It's only been a month, but she is making a lot of progress. She has started standing up without pulling up on anything and even took 7 steps at once. But they are not consistent yet. She still feels more confident crawling, so we are doing our part to take her walking around the house. She'll stand up and think about taking steps, even taking 2 or 3, but then will decide crawling is safer, or more effective. I think being cautious is a part of her personality. That makes this mama happy!

Cookie Decorating

We made the traditional advent chain to count down to Christmas, but wrote down different things to do inside the links. One of them was to tree attack someone, so we made some cookies as part of the tree attack and let the girls decorate the cookies. Sans parental assistance. They turned out beautifully!

Some of Monica's cookies

Leah's cookies

Jillian, Apple Thief

Soquel came over one day with her boys. We'd just been pulling Jillian around in the laundry basket, so Kade was offered a ride. After a couple rounds, Jillian commandeered the basket. And his apple. But he wasn't too upset about sharing either with her. It was really cute!

Then, when we picked her up, we saw just one lone toesie poking through her jammies.

Monica and Leah about died laughing. They were so tickled!

So, naturally, we took a picture. This jammy set has particular sentimental value because my friend, Sara Whetten, gave it to me with the bundle of clothes she gave me when Monica was born. It's been worn well and well loved.  

 

Jill loves her apples!

Are You My Mother?

Since we started homeschooling, we try to do thirty minutes of fun reading before bedtime. Leah loves to listen to Monica read to her and Monica loves reading to her. One night they were all snuggly in their winter jammies and I just got caught up in watching them be so sweet with each other reading one of Leah's favorite stories. Monica read it complete with sound effects and inflections, much to Leah's delight. Sometimes I feel like my heart might just burst from the love I feel for my children. And seeing them be so loving with each other just intensifies it. I love these girls!

Crazy Laser Kitty

One day after the girls went to bed, Ryan pulled out his laser light and played with Figaro. She went nuts. It was so fun to watch to her flipping and twisting. I had take a few pictures.