Christmas As A Family of 4!

This month has been so busy!! I hate that the holidays are so busy. I just want to take it all in and enjoy it, but sometimes I find myself going from one activity to the next just wanting to be at home. I love everything about Christmas and I love having a Christmas baby but sometimes it gets crazy. Every year I also say I will have Andrew's birthday party planned by October but that never happens. I think that sounds like a great New Year's resolution! This year I was so excited for Christmas as a family of 4! Andrew is at the best age for having a great Christmas spirit. Of course, Buddy the elf came back to our house this year to watch over Andrew. Finding Buddy was the highlight of Andrew's day and he loved to hear where Grandma's elf was everyday too.

 

This year my family decided to come stay with us for Christmas. My mom, sister, and Justin came out on Christmas Eve and left the day after Christmas. We all went to the Christmas Eve service at our church. It was too funny at times because Andrew and Justin were so excited that they could not stay quiet. Andrew loved singing along with the Christmas songs. They also had all of the kids up on stage for a Christmas story and I about lost it watching Justin help Andrew up to the stage. It was so cute! Every Christmas Eve since Andrew was born I find it hard to keep it together because I am so overwhelmed with how blessed I am. I know that there are so many people out there that are missing loved ones!! I am so thankful to be able to look down the row at church and see my family smiling back at me.

 

 

After church, everyone put on their PJs and then we read the boys a story. The boys also left cookies and milk for Santa and then they were off to bed. Andrew was the first one up on Christmas morning! I think it was about 7:30 so we were lucky. We spent the morning opening gifts and eating breakfast that Mark made. We all pretty much stayed in our PJs the entire day and played games. It was great to spend time with everyone.

 

Listening to the story

Santa ate the cookies

 

 

 

He was cracking me up with opening the gifts. He wouldn't even have a reaction until all of the wrapping paper was off and then he wanted to look at the back of every box. It was so cute!

 

 

Andrew looks pretty into Justin's new Nintendo DS

One of his favorite gifts!

Here is his other favorite!!

Mark's parents also came for a visit on the Friday after Christmas. It was great spending time with them!! They gave Andrew and Lucas a membership to the Children's Museum!! On Sunday after church we went to show Mema and Papa what it was all about.

 

Their reactions are too funny!

 

 

 

Love these fun moments with Papa!!

 

 

Ice fishing

 

 

 

I was also able to take a trip out to Cincinnati for the day to visit all of my friends from home!! I decided to take Lucas with me because some of them had never met him. It was so much fun!! All of the girls were able to make it! When we get together it is like we were never apart. I love them all so much!!

 

Charlotte and Lucas hanging out!

 

Love her!!

 

Group shot!! Just like homecoming!

 

 

I guess not just like homecoming because we didn't have this couch full of kids then!

Not only do I love my friends, but they also have pretty amazing husbands too!!

 

Christmas was great this year and I love that our family has grown to four now!! I loved watching Lucas with his new gifts and Andrew's reaction to all of the new toys. I also loved watching Andrew get so involved with the real Christmas story. After we opened presents he said, "wait, we forgot to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus before we opened our presents!!" We all stopped what we were doing and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. That kid makes my heart so full!!

 

Andrew's 4th Birthday!!!

What?? I am sure I start this post off the same every year, but my baby is 4!!! I mean look at him.

Now look at him!

 

Andrew has turned into the most fun, loving, outgoing boy I know. He amazes me everyday!! He loves playing games, monster trucks, football, hide and seek, role playing with his action figures, and loves watching movies!! His teachers tell me that he loves telling them stories. He is such a boy and loves to be active. He loves being a big brother and helping out with Lucas. At his 4 year appointment he weighed 37 lbs and was 3' 4". He also had all of his kindergarten shots and was so brave. There were a few tears when they gave him the shots but nothing a sucker and some stickers couldn't fix.

 

This year we decided to have a pirate birthday party. The party was at the indoor pool at the rec center in town. Andrew had a blast swimming with his friends. Here are a few pictures from the party.

 

 

 

Decorate your own bandana

 

 

His reaction to each present was priceless!

 

I think we have played this game everyday since he opened it :)

 

 

Grandma came to town on Andrew's actual birthday because she could not make it to the party. Andrew, Lucas and I went to Starbucks in the morning for a muffin and apple juice, his favorite!! After that we came home and spent some time with Grandma. We had another surprise visitor, Maisie!! Maisie is Andrew's babysitter. She is the best, but we will save that for another post :) In the evening we celebrated with a cupcake and more presents. It was a great day!!

 

 

 

 

 

Here are Andrew's annual birthday questions.

1. What is your favorite color? Red

2. What is your favorite toy? Buzz Lightyear

3. What is your favorite food? Milk and Chicken

4. What is your favorite TV show? The movie Cars

5. What is your favorite outfit? Mike PJs from the movie Monster's Inc

6. What is your favorite sport? Soccer or Football

7. What is your favorite snack? Fruit snacks

8. What is your favorite animal? Elephant

9. What is your favorite song? Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

10. What is your favorite book? The Bible

11. Who is your best friend? JJ

12. What is your favorite thing to do outside? play with the red car and ride my bike

13. What is your favorite drink? Apple juice

14. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

15. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Daddy

I thank God everyday for this kid!! He makes me smile everyday! I am so proud to be his Mom and I am so glad God chose me to be his mom!!

 

"I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,

As long as I am living,

My baby you'll be!!"

 

Santa's Coming...

We took our annual trip to meet Santa. This was a first for Lucas!! Lucas was all about going to Santa. Andrew was a little leery at first but then warmed up to him!! I love that we get to do this every year. This year Andrew asked for Hungry, Hungry Hippo and Buzz Lightyear with the buttons (the one that talks).

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Road Trip

This year we decided to spend Thanksgiving in Missouri. We usually stay home for Thanksgiving and then travel out to Missouri around Christmas. This was our first big road trip with two kids. The drive usually takes about 7 hours. I thought things would go well because Andrew is much better in the car now that he is older and Lucas always does great in the car. We had to take the dog with us because we didn't want to ask anyone to watch her over the holidays. I knew the dog would make things challenging. Let's just say I am glad the driving part of the trip is over! Andrew did great the entire trip. Lucas was good for the first few hours and Grace just hates being in the car. The drive ended up being more of a 9 hour drive. After about 3 minutes into the drive to Missouri Andrew said, "Mommy I don't see Mema and Papa's house!" I wish Mema and Papa only lived 3 minutes away!!

Andrew was such a trooper!!

You would never guess that he was crying right before we pulled over.

Either way we made it there and back in one piece and had a great visit with the Creason family. It was so nice to see everyone. Lucas was able to meet his Aunts and Uncles for the first time along with the rest of the extended family. Andrew loved playing with Uncle Matt, Johnny, Aunt Sandy, and Aunt Laura. He just loves spending time at Mema and Papa's house. The Thanksgiving meal was amazing!! Uncle Matt smoked the turkeys and they were awesome! The Creason's have a secret family recipe that gets passed down to all of the guys in the family. This was Matt's first time doing the turkeys by himself.

The turkeys

Mark and his siblings

The girls!!

 

Getting in a little Mema time

Playing with Aunt Sandy

 

Playing a little Angry Birds with Aunt Laura

 

Waking up Papa

Not only does Lucas hate long road trips, I also learned that he only likes to sleep in his crib. I guess he is already at the age where he knows he is not in his room. Both nights he was up in the middle of the night and wouldn't go back to sleep. He would stay up for about an hour until we could finally get him back to sleep in the car seat. Then he would wake up super early in the morning. Thank God, he went back to sleeping through the night when we got back. Lucas also decided to have major blow outs in his diaper the whole time we were there. Right as Thanksgiving dinner was being served he pooped all the way up his back. We are talking needs a bath and throwing away the onesie style. Of course, we didn't bring a baby bath tub. Kitchen sink was out because everyone was eating Thanksgiving!! Mark had to get in the shower with him to clean him. It was crazy. While 20 + people were downstairs eating Thanksgiving we were upstairs elbow deep in poop :) I am glad we can look back it and laugh.

I seriously feel like this blog post is a lot of complaining but I am not complaining...just being honest. I am so happy to have my two boys even if they are hard to travel with. I love every minute with them! We had so much fun spending time with family. All of the frustration was worth it!! We are so thankful for a safe trip to and from, for family, good health, and all of the blessings God has given us. Happy late Thanksgiving!!

 

Lucas 5 Months

Its already that time again and I am late posting.  This baby is growing way too fast for me.  He is 21 lbs and 26 inches long.  His length is funny to me because last month he was 27 1/4 inches long.  Clearly the nurse over measured or I am doing something wrong because I know he didn't shrink.  His next appointment is in January so we will see what they say.  Over the past month Lucas has continued to sleep so well through the night!  He is still all over the place with naps. 

Post shot picture

He still eats five six ounce bottles per day and we started rice cereal.  He loves it!!  We are only feeding him once a day.  Its a lot harder to fit in the baby food with baby #2.  He also started some baby food.  We started with peas and he loved them after a few bites.  It is no surprise this baby loves his food!!  Then we moved to sweet potatoes.  I don't think the sweet potatoes sat very well with him.  He was very grumpy and had some belly issues.  We decided to stop baby food for a little while.  He clearly doesn't need the extra calories so we thought we would hold off until six months.

About to try the rice cereal...so serious

 

A little messy at first

 

He learned to love it!

Trying baby food (peas) for the first time, not so sure at first.

 

Lucas loves to put his hands in his mouth right after he takes a bite. 

Lucas is still loving the exersaucer and he loves playing with his feet.  He still doesn't roll over a ton, but he can do it.  He loves patty cake and twinkle, twinkle little star.  He is still mesmerized by his brother and Andrew still loves Lucas so much. It is great watching them interact with each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who's turning 4?? We are!!

It's that time of year again...all of the kids in the playgroup are turning 4!! We decided to do it at Chuck E Cheese again because the kids love it. As always the kids had a blast. It is so crazy how fast these kids are growing up and how much I love hanging out with their Moms!! I can say that starting this playgroup was such a huge blessing.

 

It is getting so hard to get a group picture!!

 

Present time!!

 

I think they enjoyed the cupcakes!!