"Santa is Nice!"

Eating and playing with her MickeyD Happy Meal in line...

She loved the reindeer and "writing" Santa a letter while she waited...

Mallory has been talking all about Santa and how nice he is and was so excited to see him. When we were ordering her lunch she was talking all about sitting on his lap. Well for a little girl who takes 30 mins to warm up to people she sees weekly she didn't have enough time to get comfortable with Santa and the pic shows that! And Carter fell asleep in his carseat while we were waiting and didn't even wake up when Daddy took him out and put him on Santa...it was too funny! But as soon as we got off the stage Mallory said, "Santa!!! Santa is nice!" So at least she isn't scarred...but by the look of the pic you would think so! :) We thought she would have reacted that way last yr as well...but didn't...click here for pics.

Such a fun family day though! Mike took off work to join us and is now working in the yard while Mallory naps and Carter enjoys some alone time w/ Mommy....here he is smiling during "tummy time" just now....

2 Year Well Visit...

Here is our little "Snow Lady" at the museum with her sparkly band aid on her finger after her 2 yr visit! We had Mal's doctor visit today...We felt bad doing it on the same day as Santa and tried to reschedule, but the next appointment available would have been in Jan. so we went ahead and went today and it worked out great! (There was more fear with Santa than the Dr! I think it helps that we switched Peds. bc she doesn't associate the new office with shots...they get so many their first 2 yrs of life!)
We are so grateful for her health and development and can't believe we don't officially have to go back for her until she is 3 if she stays well....fingers crossed!!!! :)

Her Stats:

Weight: 25 lbs 5 ozs 25%tile

Height: 75%tile

"Nanks!!!!!!"

PaPa and Daddy hung the swing Mallory got for her Bday yesterday! What JOY!!!! (This pic is blurry, but best captured the emotion of it all!) Mallory said, "Nanks!!!!!" (Thanks!) And kept trying to talk to Daddy and PaPa as they worked on other parts of the swingset....She was so excited and wouldn't keep her mittens on (Any tips on that?!?!?) So after a bit and her hands turning into "lobster claws" from the freezing cold we came in to have her first cup of "warm" cocoa! She cried and cried having to come in...but we didn't want her to get sick!

Another fun memory from the day was having "church" around the kitchen table...we had a late night Sat. and wanted to let Mallory sleep in....so Daddy read the Christmas story from the Bible as we ate the breakfast he cooked...and Mallory was actually listening and responding a bit! Such a neat memory! What a great Sunday!

Lots Of Firsts!

Last Wed. Carter laughed for the first time! So cute! Daddy tried to catch it on film, but only got the tail end...we will try to capture it soon! :) Carter also took his first nap in the Nursery this morning! He will be moving upstairs in Jan. when sister moves out...so we are trying to slowly get him used to his new room (Morning naptime is the only time the crib is available)...And this morning we woke up to a "Winter Wonderland"... Well sort of! A light dusting really, but we will take what we can get with this whole "Global Warming" stuff....we haven't had a good snow in yrs! Hopefully this year will be the year! :)

Ice Cream Shoppe!

Here is "Little Miss Noelle" in her new Play-Doh Ice Cream Shoppe! It's a bit like "Groundhog's Day" around here since she received this cool new toy at her party! She has to play with it every morning! Hours of fun I tell you! Even the cousins enjoyed the "magic" of the Shoppe this morning...they spent the night last night...good times..good times! :)

Christmas Card?!?!!?

So today we are having a "PJ Day" at home and the only thing on my agenda was to get the kids dressed before lunch and take some Christmas pics...and this is how it ended! :)

I was talking to my sister Laura over Thanksgiving about the fact that in America you smile no matter what has just been happening when someone takes a pic. Then even if you were having a horrible fight with someone...click...the pic shows an awesome time. And cultures are different....Our Bosnian friends don't smile in pics. Even if they are having the time of their lives...like at a wedding...and it is so interesting to see their kids...raised in America...smiling in pics with their parents so serious. I think also today in the "digital age" when we can take 100000000 pics until we get the perfect shot we are going to miss out on a lot of pics like the one above.

We did get some good pics this morning...but I think Mommy got a little hyper and took too many...and Mallory was told "No" on something she asked for....which made her upset and then made the dominoes fall and Carter started crying as well.

But how appropriate I think that the stable is in the background. We need Him all the time...when things are "nice and pretty" and when things are "falling apart." :)

A Giraffe-N Good Time!

The kiddos before the party...Mallory was excited...not sure if she knew it was for her though...she has just been to a lot of parties and knows it's a fun time!

The giraffe cake before the transport! My friend Kristy hosted the party! She was nice enough to volunteer and it really took a lot off my plate! I love hosting...the idea of it...I just stress myself out! So it was nice to just "go" to the party bringing cake and food... (Do you think we had enough cake for the 4 kids who can actually eat cake in the group???....It looked big enough to feed Mallory and 80 of her closest friends....hahahaha...We will be eating Giraffe Cake for a week around here!)

Mallory enjoyed making (while eating!!!) her gingerbread house! Kristy had already planned this fun activity before hand and gotten all the goodies for it!!! I was so excited for Mallory to make her first one...it was so fun and festive!!

So cute to see everyone working (Moms included!)! And Mal's finished product below!

Carter enjoyed time in the bouncey and in Mom's arms during the party...

Time for cake and singing!

We had Mallory's postponed "Playgroup Party" today! It was so nice to celebrate with friends! Mallory has been playing with these kids for over a yr on a almost weekly basis..,(all of us have 2 kids now though so it is proving harder and harder to get together regularly!) I wasn't going to do a "Peer Party" yet, but since Playgroup fell on her "actual" B-Day I wanted to do something (too bad she was sick then!)...It was so much fun today though! Thanks again for hosting Kristy. When I put Mallory in the car to go home she said, "Friends!!!!....I like!!!!!.....Cake!!!!!!" :)!