Holiday Wrap Up

SNOW DAY!!  A few options . . . helping Kevin shovel, putting away our Christmas decorations, joining Jack and Hope for a Disney movie marathon, or updating my blog with a holiday highlights post!!!  Tough choices for me!

I am pretty sad that Christmas is done and gone.  I feel like it flew by this year.  Things were rather seamless this year but I just wish it hadn't gone by in such a blink of an eye.  One of the reason I love my blog is that it brings to me the ability to reflect and remember on what's past by so quickly.  It's similar to how I feel about left overs - getting to enjoy a good meal for a second (or third) time.  

Thanksgiving:

Hope really enjoyed chilling on the fancy rocking couch with Auntie Devin

Erin fell asleep seconds after this photo was taken just about the same time as poor Megs' arm also fell asleep.

All our stockings ready for Santa

Erin . . . also ready for Santa

Hope thought this was so much fun

 Jack not so sure

 

Jack and I went to see Hope's Holiday show at her school.  Beforehand we had our first mommy/son breakfast date.  So fun!

 

Here's Hope sitting with her classmates during the show and one of her classroom aides behind her.  She had a ball. 

There was a special guest at the show which Jack was thrilled about.  When asked, Jack said he wanted presents for Christmas. No need for specifics, Santa!

 Christmas morning: Here's Jack moving the candy cane marker to the #25 pocket on our Advent calendar.

 What's all that under the tree, Mommy?

 

 Yippee!

Santa brought sleds and snow gear!!!

 Once the gifts were opened and popovers consumed, Jack and Granddad settled down for a serious viewing of Monsters Inc.  Granddad was a huge fan and Jack liked having someone with him for the scary parts.

 Erin snuggling with her cousin Jimmy who got in some much needed baby practice before his TWIN siblings arrive this spring!

One of our many comical attempts at the perfect grandparent/grandkid picture.  Please note Hope's raised shirt and that she is grabbing Kevin's mom's hair, Erin's tears, and that Abby is completely missing from the shot.  Hilarious.

Hope feeling sporty in her new workout suit.  Thanks Aunt Johannah!

 

Jack after a successful completion of one of his MANY puzzle Christmas gifts.  

 

My baby girl turned six months old a couple days before Christmas.  Here are a few shots of her first feeding (before, during, after, after).  She wasn't initially a huge fan, but thankfully, she's enjoying solids more and more with each feeding.

Our friends Steve and Rebecca visited with their baby Clio.  Here's a couple shots of Clio and Erin getting acquainted.

 Erin has learned from the best (Hope) on how to steal a pacifier.

This is a compilation of Erin's month birthday photos.  I didn't think to do anything like this with Hope and Jack so its been fun to get to do it with Erin. If you double click on the image it will blow it up so you can better see how she's changed month to month. 

All of my post these days end with a montage of cute Erin photos.  I can't help it!  Jack and Hope just won't cooperate and stay still and smiling for photos these days. 

 

Who's ready for turkey?

Can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving!  The Christmas music is already playing and one little girl is too big for all of her hand me down Holiday PJs.

It's been a good few months.  This post will start and end with special visits from two of my Colby friends with an additional two seen in the middle, plus first days of work and school, a baptism, a wedding, and of course, Halloween. 

Right before I went back to work, Hillary came to visit.  It was the perfect mix of fun times spent with kids and fun times without them. 

Jack and Kevin's first days of school came next.  Kevin wasn't as excited to pose for a picture as Jack was.   

Here he is posing by his cubby at school.  Seriously, where has my baby boy gone?

Going to school is an old habit for Hope, but she too got a new back pack.

 

Here she is waiting for the bus in the morning. I heart her brown puffy vest.

Before I knew it, the end came and my days of having lunch with this girl were over. 
Kevin bought me a cake and some pumpkin beer to celebrate/cheer me up upon returning to work. 
Going back to work wasn't terrible.  I was very comfortable leaving Erin with our nanny Danna who'd spent time with her over the summer.  Getting Hope and Jack out the door for preschool has made the mornings a lot busier.  I'm not as organized as I need to be and should do more before going to bed to make the mornings more seamless, but I'm working on it.  I've been spoiled by all this time of leaving H&J in their PJs, milks in hand, watching Mickey Mouse.  

We had Erin's baptism in mid September.  Here she is with her Godparents - Kevin's cousin Lisa and our friend Tim.

The baptism was soon followed up by a weekend trip to DC for my cousin Jeremy's wedding to the lovely Liz.  They bravely opted to invite our entire family to their party.  We had a lot of fun dancing with Hope and Jack and Erin got in a lot of cuddling time with some of my extended family. 

While in DC, we managed to get in a visit with Liz, Carrie, Jay and Baby Morgan.  

Halloween was celebrated a few weekends in a row in October.  I found the Pooh and Tigger costumes at my multiples club sale.  Erin makes a perfect piglet to round out the trio. 

Our annual visit to Linvilla farm to pose with the pumpkins and take a sunset hayride.

 A couple more shots of one particular Piglet.  If you saw her thighs, you'd agree . . .

 A speedy Tigger on his way to school on Halloween Day.

 The preschool paraders

This was the first year that Jack seemed to really enjoy trick or treating.  He got very excited going to all the houses and telling them that he was dressed as Tigger.  "Mom, can we go to another house and get MORE candy?"

Here's another cute photo of Hope sporting her vest before school one morning.

We have continued with Hope's riding therapy. Here she is having a blast getting to spend Saturday mornings with her regular horse named Clyde. 

Along with starting school, I am happy to finally say that Jack (and his mom and dad) have conquered potty training.  It wasn't easy and required a few days of boot camp, but we did it!  Finally!

We also transitioned Jack out of his toddler bed and into a big bed in a new room.  He's sharing a room with Erin for now and gets the treat of a full size bed to sprawl out in. 

 Here he is supporting both of his parent's alma maters.  As if I will ever be able to compete . . .

 Helping mom with the leaves . . .

We all continue to be completely smitten with Erin.  She is eating and growing like crazy and wrapping everyone around her fingers with her adorable coos and smiles. Here are a few adorable shots.

This past weekend, Courtney and clan swung in for a pre-Thanksgiving visit.  I remember when they used to come with just their 3 older kids and Kevin & I would feel completely wiped after a 24 hr visit.  Four additional kids added to the mix does not make things any less crazy, though we did have a few moments for the adults to catch up and have a few laughs.  

Here's Courtney, me and all our kiddos. 

Hopie had to get in on the snuggling action going on between Peyton and Erin.

We think we've figured out who Erin looks like.  Danna has said all along she thinks Erin looks like my dad and I didn't see it until I checked out one of his baby pictures at his house. What do you all think?

That's all for now!  

Gobble Gobble!!!