Twenty Eleven

Happy New Year!

Before I knew it...

the month of Dec has escaped!

It is just so hard to believe how time flies!

This photo from Christmas Eve makes me happy. I don't know, kind of gives me that feeling the way things should be.

You know, lots of family around, everyone in everyone's business, and lots of good food (no photo needed to explain that last bit!).

Christmas was good...I was ill from Monday till Thursday when I finally took some medication (after checking with the pharmacist, then the pediatrician...). I ended up losing like 8 lbs or something like that.

Somehow Liam and I are still hanging on to nursing. After being so dehydrated I am shocked I am still carrying on with that. But it is what is best-I know it is what is best.

The pumping is what is getting to me this time around. Maybe those of you who have done it can send me a bit of encouragement....I am just so sick of being stuck in a file room at work three times a day. Ugh!

Well, hope you have fun plans for New Year's. I'm definitely ready for 2011 to begin!

Fun

I can't believe I am going to post this....but why not?

I like looking terrible and showing everyone in blogland!!

My Thursday night Bible study ladies decided to dress "ghastly" for fun, for our Christmas Dinner. That t-shirt I was wearing was teal and I have a black tutu on-but it is hard to see.

GHASTLY. No question.

Slippers

Thanks for these, Auntie B. Emmy loves wearing them!

LJW-5 Months

You are FIVE months old!

What are you thinking trying to eat solids now?!??! And you enjoy them?! Well, as long as they make you sleep longer. Which we've come to find they don't really help do that yet. Ah, well, what do you do?

And you found your feet too? Next thing I know you'll be tearing around the house - Oi! I don't think I am ready for that within the next few months! But I better get used to the idea...!

I think you are teething pretty good-you have inexplicable days where all you want is to be held and you fuss about everything. That is SO not like you. Your normal disposition is just so sweet, and laid back, relaxed. You've got to be teething.

You got to see your Mimi and Papa for the first time since being born for Thanksgiving. You loved to stare at Mimi, but when she would hold you and you would look back at me, your momma, you'd start crying. Funny boy.

Your Abuelito passed away this month too. I can't remember the word for great grandpa-bisabuelo(?) in spanish, but as sad as it is, he needed to go home to heaven. Parkinson's is an horrible disease. You never got to meet him because he lived in Guatemala, but I am sure you will hear about him one day. Mimi always said he was a great story teller. He liked music (so do you!) and was a really smart guy. I will have to get a photo from Mimi so that you can see what he looked like when he was younger. He was quite a handsome man.

You are finally taking to your Bumbo. I think you figured out it is to help youeat....so now you don't mind it so much. We're working on your "sitting up" skills...which the Bumbo also helps out with...the only draw back? You just can't keep your food down when your stomach gets squished like that. The changes of clothes - Oi!

Speaking of clothes, my goodness you are a bog boy. Just yesterday we went to church in a 12 month top and 9 month pants. What the what!?!? After Emalyn being such a petite thing, I never thought I would have a such a good size boy, but here you are! You are barely in 6 month clothes, that is to short on the sleeves and pants...and getting tighter all the time. It's just crazy!

Emmy is getting you to giggle and laugh. She makes noises, or tickles you and you just love it. You still watch her all the time, and I think can hardly wait until you are walking around playing with her. It is so fascinating to see how your interactions are starting together....she has been waiting for some kind of response from you. Since you came home she can hardly keep her hands off you, especially your face. No matter what she is always drawn to your face! We sometimes have to discipline her justbecause she pushes or prods your cheeks, chin, ears, eyes, whatever, and she goes over the line....but she loves you little Liam. That's why she just has to touch you all the time.

It is so special to see you smile all the time little boy, you hardly cry! Only when you are tired. Your spirit is so gentle right now....I wonder how it will grow and change, but I pray it stays sweet and gentle. You have brought such fun into our lives little boy, we are so glad you are here.

love your momma

Watching Cars

Her favorite character is Mater. I don't know how anyone doesn't think he's the funniest one...

I think this is the only time she's still long enough for me to get decent practice shots with my camera.

Hope you had a good weekend!

Liam, Growing Up

Well, we have begun solids.

As you can see, he was kind of wondering what the heck we were doing....and then after tasting the rice cereal, decided that he needed to grab at it with both hands to shove it into his mouth.

He didn't even make a face!

These next shots are for daddy....Liam sporting his favorite team.

This is his new way to hang...cutie pie.

On Camera

One of our first recordings of Emalyn inducing laughter from Liam. He is always mesmerized by her, but never really interacted with her. And so it begins!!

THIS....

is a jewelry roll! And it is the exact one my mom received.

Thanksmas!

So on the years that I don't get to spend Christmas with my family, I get to see them on Thanksgiving. We kind of have that alternate Christmas/Thanksgiving thing going on.

During that time together, we set aside one day in which "Santy Claus" shows up and our gifts are exchanged...We have affectionately coined the gift giving celebration as Thanksmas.

As you can see, Liam even got in on the celebrating and was tearing at that gift!

Here he was checking out the goods...my mom made him a matchbox car carrying case (it holds about 5 cars) that had a road sewn into it as well. SUPER cute and perfect for church when he gets older!

The kids always make out with the coolest stuff...the stroller and children's MP3 player have yet to be put down, that potato head (another awesome gift made by Mimi) is always out on the floor, and I have already grown annoyed with the sounds that other toy makes. I don't know how she does it but she makes the rounds every day on those things-her new prized possessions!

Emmy was very much into helping people open their gifts and even more interested in seeing what it is they received.

My mom and dad gave me this pretty sweater!

We gave my mom a cute jewelry roll. I can't believe she didn't have one of those yet....I had always stayed away from getting her one because to me it was so obvious she must already have one.

Ugh, sometimes the easiest things to gift are staring your right in the face!!

The next day we got a group shot of grandparents and grandkids...I think we did pretty good, it was a hard photo to get!

It was a nice time. I am so glad they came.

Merry Thanksmas to all and to all a good night!

Thanksgiving II

You've gotta have turkey in the house during Thanksgiving week, it should be a law or something.

So we had a small dinner at home...

Someone gave Emmy a little whipped cream...she loved it!

Then on Thanksgiving Day, we went out for dinner. She was a character all night...

And he, as always, was as sweet as can be.

Cameron had the great idea of meeting at Old Country Buffet for Thanksgiving dinner. There were just so many people that for any one of us to host it, is would have been just too much. I think it was genius!

Thanksgiving I

Did you have a good Thanksgiving?

We did for the most part. I got the flu that preceeding weekend. So I made Emmy clean for me!

Not really, she was just playing dress up with the apron, then found the duster so she started dusting.

So, since I was sick, and Cameron had some kind of stomach bug as well the day after, my parents thought they should just stay in a hotel for the first couple nights. I sure don't blame them!

And we got to go in the pool because of that! FUN!

Emmy of course had a blast, and I was the one that had to go in because I was furthest from the illness.

Which, this pool time led me to catch another illness, this time just a cold. Thankfully!

Here are the two kiddos poolside.

More to come!

Sweetie Boy

I love how with the second child you really don't care about what color things are that they play with, eat with, carry around....all you care about is that they are content.

Clearly this pink lamb is Emmy's. But he loves the rattle inside....so it's his for the time being.

And I wonder why I even cared about the colors of things in the first place....so silly! :)

Snow Showers

I had a shower this weekend for my friend's baby.

Didn't those centerpieces turn out cute!??!

If only it hadn't snowed about a foot that day...I may have been happier with the turnout.

The mother of the baby was happy with things. The grandmother was happy. I think the great-grandmother was too.

But they don't realize how pretty it could have been had there been less snow outside to put a damper on all the plans that day.

Yeah. I love to make plans, and of course love more when they come to fruition. And I think God kind of chuckles at my so called "planning," especially on days like this... ;)

Playing

After the zoo a few weeks ago, Emalyn started playing in the grass area in the parking lot.

She loves flowers, and especially seeding dandelions since the actually 'do' something.

This has to be one of my favorite groups of photos I have taken to date. You know, there's nothing crazy special about them, just capturing Emmy in her little girl element. I will love having these... .

Then, she decided to start rolling down the hill.

My sweet girl, how I love to watch you play like this.