Santa's Visit

Grandma and Grandpa had Santa and Mrs. Claus over! How great are they?! No mall line= one happy momma :)

Audrey was so excited the entire week. She kept telling us that she was going to tell Santa that she wants the Lala Loopsy tree house and school bus. When Santa arrived she didn't even wait for him to get settled, she started telling him right away!




I love how Abby is looking at him!







Mrs. Claus read The Night Before Christmas to the kids.


Abby wanted to pull up so badly!


Each kid got a present from Santa! Audrey got a big princess coloring book.

Abby got an elephant shape sorter.


Audrey took over unwrapping Abby's gift, and Abby was happy chewing on the wrapping paper :)



All the kids had a great time. I'm so happy my in-law's did this. Awesome memories for sure!

Behind.

I am behind on school work. I'm behind on Christmas shopping. I'm behind on blogging (especially my photo 366 project!)

I'm behind on LIFE!

As I was leaving work the other day another teacher said, "I don't know how you people with little kids do it. I feel like I'm behind on everything." That made me feel better :)

The downside to teaching (for me) is that you're never done. There are always papers to grade, lessons to plan, students that weigh on your mind constantly for one reason or another. My classroom is so disorganized right now that I feel like a hypocrite when I ask one of my kids to clean out their desk. Maybe I need someone to come in and tell me to clean out mine, lol.

I never walk out feeling completely accomplished. We could have a really great day (and usually we do!) but I always leave feeling burdened...there are a million things to do and not enough time! One of my favorite coworkers once told me, "If you feel like you've got it all figured out, you're not doing it right." Maybe that means I am doing it right! Another one of my coworkers said that after so many years of teaching, "you think this would get easier!" A little discouraging, but I've found that to be true.

I love my job. I just hate the feeling of never being done and always being behind. I definitely need winter break to relax, unwind, and get a jump on the rest of the 2012 school year!

Audrey's Birthday Party

Audrey loves to throw pretend tea parties, so naturally she had to have a tea party for her birthday. We had close family and friends over to celebrate and it was just a short, sweet, simple celebration.


Favors: personalized tea cups and saucers (planters) filled with seed packets, teacup lollipops, teacup stickers, & fancy hand mirrors.


She could not WAIT to dig into the goodies: lofthouse cookies, cake balls, party mints. Christopher was just as bad ;)


Poor Abigail! She has a miserable cold. She had a short morning nap so she was unusually cranky/clingy. She took a nice long afternoon nap (right before cake!)






Bella and Audrey


Your party will be soon enough, darling Abby!


Waiting to open presents! She got gifts that were perfect for her: Mini Lalaloopsy, Princess figurines, nail polish, jewelry, tea sets, and tickets to the dinner theater.




Her big present from us was her pink play kitchen (she's only been talking about it for 3 months!!) Her reaction was funny...she walked in, saw it, and blew a raspberry (something she does whenever she's surprised!)


The play kitchen was a hit with all of the girls :)




Our friend made this beautiful cake. It was perfect!


I loved watching her as we sang Happy Birthday. Definitely almost cried!






Cousins! Ony weeks apart in age...look at how they've changed:



Audrey & Bella played in her new sleeping bag








After the party we went to Target with Sarah and Bella to do our grocery shopping. I was absolutely exhausted by the time we got home...at 7 :) Audrey had "the best birthday party EVER!" and so I would call it a success :) In just 2 weeks she'll officially be three. I am ready. Age 2 was easy breezy and I'm hearing age 3 is where they hit their "terrible" stage...bring it :)

December!

Ok, where's the snow? :)

December is going to be super crazy busy and I'm so scared it's going to fly by! Audrey's birthday party is on Saturday (we're going to my school's pancake breakfast first!) Next weekend is Grandma's Christmas party (SANTA! I KNOW HIM!) Then Christopher's birthday. Then it's Audrey's birthday and Christmas. OMGEEEE. Luckily the girls are done for presents (thank you Cyber Monday!) But we have a lot to do for Audrey's party this week. I'm very excited about it because last year we had to cancel it at the last minute because she was sick. And of course this week she's had a cold. Fingers crossed that she gets over it and no one else gets it (especially Abigail!)

Abigail has been eating so well!! I'm just loving that we can give her what we're having. The other night she had green beans.




Tonight she had spaghetti (and went directly into the bath!)

I love how she slurps up the noodles, lol.








We never bathe her in the sink, but we will from now on. It's just so much easier! Until she can sit up and steady in the real bath with Audrey, this is her bath for now!

I love this time of year. I started working on Christmas cards today. Only 13 school days until break!

Too funny

I love how as Audrey gets older that I love each stage more and more. At almost 3 years old she's so fun! I'm in love with her little personality!

Abigail is 7 months old!

Well, almost :) Tomorrow she will be 7 months and I can't believe how fast she's growing!














These pictures are getting so hard to take! She's distracted by everything!!!


Defiant!

She's on a beautiful eating/sleeping/playing schedule. She wakes and has her first bottle, then eats cereal about an hour later. She goes down for her morning nap after being awake for 2-2 1/2 hours. Sleeps a nice looong stretch of 2+ hours :) She wakes, has a bottle, then plays for 2-2 1/2 hours, then takes her afternoon nap (another 2 hour nap!) She has dinner around 6-6:30 and she plays until bedtime, which is anywhere from 7-8. She has a bottle and goes to sleep for the night. I just love it!

She has 2 bottom teeth and is probably on the verge of getting more. She was very hard to get to sleep last night and she was chewing on her paci like mad. She's starting to eat Mum Mums on her own. She likes Cheerios but can't put them in her own mouth yet. Nothing really exciting to report in the food department! I'm hoping these next 2 months will be better.

She's fully sitting on her own which is GREAT. She sits and plays and has a fine time. She still loves her exersaucer and doorway jumper. She grabs for everything, especially the remote (she CRIES for it!) I guess the next stage is crawling and pulling up! I'm secretly hoping those milestones are far away. I love where she's at right now!

She's making the cutest sounds- "ba ba ba" and "ya ya ya." She has the brightest smile and loves to laugh. In fact, after she finishes a bottle, if you wave it or shake it in front of her face she cracks up- it is too funny! She loves to watch Audrey, and Audrey is so sweet to her! She'll pick up toys that have been thrown off the exersaucer :)

Abigail is still as calm and sweet and wonderful as she's always been. We are truly blessed to have such an angel baby!