Christmas Recap

We just finished up a great Christmas day. I think the kids had fun with all their new stuff and we enjoyed hanging out with mom and dad and not getting out of our pjs.

We headed over to Ohio New Years eve. We got to see Grandma this year which was great (and I'm REALLY kicking myself for not getting any pictures with grandma). Belle recognized her right away and pretty much stuck with her when ever she saw her.

Christmas Eve morning we headed over to Sara's for a quick exchange of gifts between the cousins. The kids had fun playing in Sara's new basement and it made me wish we had a place to banish the kids to and leave all the toys. Ah well.


These next two pictures are hilarious. Ethan for whatever reason decided he was a boob man and kept wanting to bury his head in Sara's boobs. Oh man, I think we were all crying we were laughing so hard. Guess he found those ample pregnancy boobs too hard to resist. =)




Look at the boys. It's hard to believe they've grown up so much. They look like little boys now. **sniff**


Check out last years Christmas. What a difference a year makes.



Christmas Eve afternoon we headed over to Ginghamsburg for the Christmas Eve service. I took Belle this time. Figured she needed to start learning how to sit through a service and be quiet. She did pretty well I think for a 3 yr old. I gave her a sucker to keep her mouth otherwise occupied, but I think that started to backfire once the sugar started kicking in. She also got to hang out with her favorite second cousin Cheyanne at our annual family Christmas get together.

Belle was even able to say Cheyanne this year instead of "Shiny"


We headed home after the party to get ready for Christmas at our house. Chris gave Belle some cookies for the ride home. Once Belle ate those she said she was still hungry and we told her that she couldn't have any thing else. Ethan was in his seat eating gold fish crackers out of a bowl. Not sure how Belle conned Ethan but I looked back and Ethan was passing handfuls of crackers to his sister and Belle was just shoving them in. Once Ethan ran out of crackers Belle kept asking him for more and he'd search and search in his bowl for some more. Finally he held up his bowl for her to see that they were in fact gone. It was cute to see Ethan helping his sister out.

Luckily the kids haven't started getting up at the butt crack of dawn like my sister and I did for Christmas. Belle slept in til 8. She got up and when she came downstairs she found what she'd been waiting months and months for, her Pillow Pet. Thats the first and only thing she ever really said she wanted. Ethan was much more interested in the paper.




Not soon after presents Mimi and Poppy came over with their slew of presents. Ethan got a basketball hoop which he loves. They both got all kinds of things. I think Belle likes her Princess barbies and her card game set. She really liked playing go fish and old maid.

Poppy thought Ethan needed his first deer call. Ethan loved it.


One new tradition in the house was making a cake for Jesus. Belle sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and blew out the candles.


Its so crazy to look back at last years Christmas post. We had feeding struggles with Ethan and potty training with Belle. We've come so far. =)

Holiday Activities

Belle recently had her first preschool program. It was cute. Belle of course had no problem being up in front of people. She belted it out from the front row.

I didn't get any good pictures. We did however get decent video. I'll try to get that up soon.





We also took a trip to the Christmas at the Zoo. I thought Belle would love all the lights, but she was too preoccupied with giving us attitude. Ethan loved getting out and looking at all the neat things.

First Haircut

Well I couldn't stand it anymore. Ethan's hair had to be cut. Poor kid was looking like a shaggy dog. I had intentions on taking him to one of those kids places. Just because I thought a video might distract him and Belle could play on the slide in the meantime. Well I couldn't wait for it to open so we went to Great Clips. Belle always gets a better haircut there anyways.

He did so good for the cut. I gave him a sucker and he just let the girl clip away. Even let her use the clippers.

He looks like he aged a year.

Did you get a Moose?

Belle has been funny lately. She has it in her head that Nic is hunting Moose. I guess a deer with antlers could look like a moose. Well when Nic came home from hunting one day this is the conversation Nic and Belle had.

Belle: "Daddy, did you get a Moose?"
Nic: "No they were too far away"
Belle: "You need to get closer, them jump and go boom"

Now whenever Nic walks in the door, she think he was hunting and asks if he got a moose.

Ballet Watch Day

Today was a day that we got to go watch Belle's ballet class. Its always fun because Belle seems to take it so seriously.

The first two videos are during the class where they practice some of their moves.



These next two videos are of their dance for the recital. They are going to practice all year for the recital in June.

Listen closely to the first one, you'll hear Belle yawn and then announce that she farted AGAIN. Thats my girl.


During this video they were just supposed to make up their own dance, which is part of the routine.

Thanksgiving

We had a fun Thanksgiving. I wasn't the best at taking pictures. We headed over to the Freshours for the first half of the holiday weekend and then finished it up at my parents.

At Grandma B's (Nic's Grandma) house there was plenty of room for the kids to run and play which was nice because you didn't hear them for the most part. Ethan on the other hand you had to pretty much keep a constant eye on. Even then he managed to throw Grandma's Jesus plaque down the stairs and shatter it. Oops. =)



Then we had a Wii dancing tournament. That was fun.




Here is Waren and Ethan. Waren is 7 mos old and the boys wear the same size clothes. BTW, I think Ethan is looking different again. The boy is growing up so much.


I headed over to my mom's Thursday night in preparation for Black Friday. We headed out at 5:30 and hit up Kohls, Babies R Us, Old Navy, Target and the mall. It was fun, but nothing I'd really do again unless there was something I had to have. Even then I don't think I'm brave enough to hit Walmart.

I really stunk at pictures at my moms, but here a couple cute shots of Brody and Ethan.

Kids say the Darnest Things

I was laying my clothes out on the bed, Belle picked up my bra and said "Here's your boobie patch mom". Ha ha ha!

Cute prayer

I just want to document this cute little prayer Belle said tonight. I imagine she learned it at school.

God is with me when I work
and when I play.
God is with me everyday.
Amen.

Its fun to hear about her love for God already. She tells us all the time that God is in her heart and is always wanting to read the "upside down bible". Ha ha, it's a book of little bible stories that was printed upside down from the cover. Which reminds me that we really need to find a more age appropriate book. She really likes it, but I feel like it's a little over her head.

A couple nights ago she even made us say a prayer before dinner. Not a habit we're into, but she said "we need to fold our hands". We took the cue and Nic said a prayer before dinner. Like my mom said, she's going to be holding our feet to the fire.

Looking cute in their holiday attire

Ethan's outfit was too cute.





I was hoping to get a nice pic of them together. Luckily I'll have professional pictures for that.

Pure Joy!

This picture of Ethan just cracks me up EVERY time I look at it.

I took it when we were sitting outside on a warmer day. I had given him Belle's sucker when she decided that she'd rather ride her bike. He was just beside himself that he got to hold the sucker himself.

Mommy MacGyver

I just have to write this down now that I can laugh at it. We headed to Imagination Station today to pick up a toy they were holding for me. We all decided to go and then head to Wendy's for dinner since Belle was begging for it.

I should've known the pee pee dance when we walked in. I debated on just grabbing the toy and leaving and then taking her to the bathroom at Wendy's. I mean she's been potty trained for almost a year now, I over estimated her bladder control. Well I finally decided that I'd ask if they had a bathroom in the store. No sooner did I turn around to take did I find her peeing on the floor. Awesome!!

I ran off with Belle while Nic went to break the news to the owners. The owner was super cool. Belle and I found ourselves in the bathroom where she wanted her wet clothes off ASAP. So we had to somehow get out of that bathroom with both of us reasonably dressed. Thank God I had layered tonight. I had a tank top with a hoodie sweater and then a puffy vest on top. I was able to just take the hoodie and make Belle a skirt. I did look kind of ridiculous in my tank top and puffy vest though. We walked out and the owner saw Belle's get up. She told me to get a pull up out of the changing table and let her play. Ha ha.

As I was paying she just happened to notice my outfit and we both had a good laugh about the "mom moment" and being "MacGyver". Nic on the other hand was ready to buy the store cause he felt bad for Belle peeing on their carpet. They were very nice about the whole thing and I have to figure that it's probably happened before.

Birthday bash!

We celebrated Ethan's birthday yesterday at the park. I was worried it would be too cold, but it warmed up nicely. I didn't however take into account the bees. We had a good time and it's hard to believe my baby is no longer a baby.

Trying to get him to wear his cowboy hat with the number 1.


The boys are starting to get to the point where the size difference isn't quite as noticable. I'm afraid if Ethan could walk it would be ON. Here they are fighting over a toy.


Brody and Olivia had fun playing cornhole


Still not walking, although I bet he could if really wanted to.


Time for cake.


He had no problems with the cake, he knew right what to do. He loved eating it. Belle I remember wanted none of it.


Of course now Belle loves cake and made sure Ethan had some help.


We tried getting a group picture of the kids, but you know how that goes.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!!

It's hard to believe my youngest and my last is a year old. I'm sad, if only for a second, that there won't be another baby in our house. But its exciting to enter a new phase in our family.

A year ago today I was in labor and progressing right along. Read about it here.

Ballerina Belle

Monday was watch day at Belle's ballet class. It was the first glimpse as to what was going on behind those doors. Belle was adorable and did really well. She listened really well and it was fun to see her try to do the moves. Their recital song is from The Little Mermaid. I'll be excited to see what that looks like at the end of the year.

Yummy Apples and Pumpkin Pickin

We decided to head over to Appleworks for the first time. They were having a Highlander festival so it would've been right up my dads alley. We were greeted with loud muzzleloader fires when we pulled up. The kids got to look at the animals, slide down the huge slide, ride a pony, climb on the hay bales and ride a train. Ok so Belle did most of that, but Ethan watched from the stroller.

I didn't really have a plan when we came, but we had fun wandering around and then decided to go get a pumpkin for our front door. We had fun picking out our Charlie Brown pumpkins. Seemed like everyone else was in search for the perfect orange pumpkin when all we wanted were some funky looking ones.

After we loaded down the stroller with pumpkins Nic headed in to taste apples. He came out with a bag full of Honey Crisp apples and dang those were good. You know they are good when Belle asks to eat more. We forced her to take a bite before we gave her the candy necklace and then she asked for Nic's apple. I was impressed seeing how the girl NEVER eats fruit. She was in the store yelling "I want junk food" while Nic was looking around. Yep thats my girl.

We all headed home and had apples with dinner. Yummy!

Climbing the hay bales


All I wanted was a nice picture of the two kids. Did I get it? Nope.











On our way to get pumpkins



Nic was multi tasking pretty well.