Friday, November 27, 2009

Christmas Preparations

We did the typical day after Thanksgiving Christmas decorations since we are home this year. The kids really got into it and had a lot of fun. They especially enjoyed the manger scene. Benjamin is holding baby Jesus, which Anna now walks around cradling!


Benjamin did a good job putting the angel on the manger.


Anna likes to become a "shirt monster." She puts her shirt over her head like this, waddles around and declares, "Shirt Monster!!!"




Collin falling asleep making eye movements and smiles.........


Cute little ear.
Sweet baby hand.


Thinking hard.....


I've caught him looking at his hands a few times......


Anna can't hardly walk through the hallway without stopping to play with the manger.


I took this picture of Dave and gave him a hard time that he didn't smile very big......


so this was his response......


Benjamin and Anna watching a new movie in their rocking chairs (which they love!)......



We started the tree in the afternoon, but only had one strand of lights that worked. So we ran out and got more and after Anna went to bed, Benjamin and I had a lot of fun putting the ornaments on the tree. He was so cute with how much he loved it. He told me, "I love doing this. I haven't got to do it in a long time!"



He saw me moving some of the ornaments he put on the tree up higher. After he asked me what I was doing, I explained that I had to move some of the special ones that were breakable up higher where Anna couldn't reach them. Without saying anything, he pushed his stool over and climbed up. I asked what he was doing and he said he needed to put this breakable ornament up high away from Anna. I felt so bad, the poor guy reached over to put it on the tree and dropped and broke it. :( He handled it pretty well and Daddy was able to glue it back together. In the end, he was so proud of his tree and how nice it looked!

I got to add another "Baby's First Christmas" ornament to our tree this year! They have the kids name, birth date, and birthstone on them............


I was so tickled to get the kids matching Christmas jammies! Dave suggested I have them wear them and get the pictures I wanted in case they aren't in the posing mood Christmas morning. The each did great individually, but Anna was a fussy pants during the group shot.......

The only good ones I was able to get was this one of them both saying, "Snow"............


and of them kissing Collin...........

Oh well! They can't be perfect all the time! :) They were so excited to have matching snowman jammies though!



After I showed this picture to Dave he said, "It's a drunken, Christmas Mardi Gras."


I think this is one of my favorite pictures of Benjamin ever!


Collin is so good-natured through everything!

Daddy held the Santa hat over his head too..........

Stretch!!!!


Collin decided to wear a football outfit to cheer for Uncle Buh today.


Dave and I have noticed that Collin has really started to turn into his own self recently. We're excited to watch his looks and personality form!


I couldn't help looking up pictures of Benjamin in this outfit since I remember him wearing it a lot. Seems like a lifetime ago that Benjamin was this size.....


Collin again........

and Benjamin again......


I've been calling Collin my monkey, so I couldn't resist getting him this monkey coat. Dave was out putting Christmas lights on the house today, so I bundled up Collin in his coat to go out and see Daddy. It was funny, we wished Dave had the camera on the roof b/c Collin looked up and locked eyes w/ Dave! Dave said his eyes looked so blue and just popped out there!


Anna's hair has grown quite a bit. She's so funny and comes running out into the living room after a bath and says, "It's wet!!!"

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thankful

Dave's grandma (aka Mamom) came to meet Collin for the first time yesterday! We were so happy to see her and introduce her to her new great-grandbaby!




Snuggling with Grandpa Jim......


Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! We had a wonderful family filled day today! How could we not, with these three sweethearts?!?!?!





Collin spending some time with Daddy while the big kids enjoyed the parade this morning...........

Look at this sweet face and those beautiful blue eyes!!!



Benjamin and Anna REALLY enjoyed watching the parade!


I so enjoy talking to sweet Collin and seeing him smile and "talk" back to me! The other day after a bath he was even giving me some soft laughs!




We had a lot of fun making a pumpkin pie! I have some really good helpers!


Anna loves checking on food in the oven.....I think it's usually b/c she's so excited to eat it!


Collin's shirt says "thankful for mommy." :)

I am so VERY thankful to have this wonderful little guy to spend our days with!


My parents, sister, and niece were kind enough to come spend Thanksgiving with us today! Collin spending some time with Grandpa Warren.......


It was so wonderful to see Katie and Katrina! When I told Benjamin they were coming to our house, he started dancing around b/c he was so excited and his smile was so big it looked like his dimples were hurting his cheeks! :)


All the kids had a great time playing together!


And playing with Grandma and Grandpa!


Benjamin and Anna had a lot of fun "getting" Katrina!



Wrestling!


They also enjoyed including Katie and Katrina in on one of Anna's current favorite activities, "Ring Around The Rosy" (or as Anna calls it "Rosy")!



Anna and Katrina being silly and trying to get in Collin's seat!


Katrina was cute checking Collin out and rubbing her cheek against his and giving him kisses (it was their first meeting).


All four cousins!


Katrina having fun playing with Grandpa.......(She was so funny and would turn and blink and smile when she heard you taking her picture)!


Benjamin and Daddy playing around and being silly!

These two crazy boys are going to go out into the madness and do some early bird shopping tomorrow. Dave says he figures, Benjamin gets him up at 5:45 every morning anyway!
We had an amazing Thanksgiving........we have so very much to be thankful for. God has so richly blessed our family and we are so happy to have our three wonderful, beautiful, healthy, sweet children! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving too! Be blessed!

StatCounter