Merry Christmas

Insta Friday

Some Insta's of the kids lately...  

Ellary :: 8 Months

My sweet girl turned 8 months old yesterday.  The poor girl has had some bad luck in the sick department lately.  While she spent the majority of her 7th Month under the weather, her sweet smile and no fear attitude is back. 

{Ellary is wearing my dress from when I was little.  The framed picture is me, when I was a little older than what Ellary is.}

Sweet Ellary, at 8 months you:

*Aside from being more than 2 inches away from Mama, you have no fear.  This morning I put you in your walker in the bathroom while I took a shower.  I looked out and you had wiggled your way up, and almost out of it.  Yikes!  The walker will be going downstairs, and I have yet to figure out when I will get a shower in now.  

*You still haven't figure out how to sleep.  You did, however, take 3 naps in your crib last week.  None of them were over 20 minutes, but that is still HUGE for you!  You still get up a lot at night, but you are starting to go to bed earlier, which is so nice!!  

*You decided last week that you like solids.  You still refuse all "baby foods."  Absolutely nothing pureed.  You will only eat tiny bites of whatever we happen to be eating.  You also love chocolate cake...which you stole off my plate last week.  I tired giving you yogurt, you made it very clear (by screaming) that you are not a fan or yogurt. :)

*You crawl, fast! You pull yourself up, walk furniture, and can take 6ish steps on your own.  You actually started taking steps the day after you turned 7 months old.  People usually don't believe Mommy & Daddy though.   :)  You love to walk back and forth from Mommy to Daddy all on your own.  You also like to let go of furniture and try to walk away.  The only problem with that is, no one is there to catch you when you fall. 

*Your favorite thing to play with is the wooden puzzle pieces.  You also love to sneak to the Christmas tree.  I am seriously thinking about taking all the lights off and only putting them on the top half. :)

*You had your first ear infection, which was actually a double ear infection that wouldn't go away.  Two antibiotics later, and nasty side effects from the antibiotics, I am praying they are gone.  

*You are love, love, love to play in forts with your brother.

We love you so much, sweet girl!

:: Traditions :: Santa Parade & Christmas Tree ::

I love traditions.  Love.  I love looking back at the exact time & even in the past years.  The first year we took Karson to the Santa Parade, DJ was hunting.  My Mom and I took him.  He fell asleep & missed Santa.  Last year, the parade started at 9:00am.  We showed up at 9:00am.  Oops.  We definitely didn't get a seat up front.  We had to hold Karson the whole time.  This year, I was determined to do it right.  We need to get there early.  Then we needed to entertain 2 kids for an hour in the cold before the parade started.  

This one was not happy all morning.  She is usually up for anything.  She was NOT happy to be out in the cold.  Later in the day she spiked a fever, and a nasty cough showed up.  I had her out in the cold...when she was miserable & I didn't know it.  Serious Mommy Guilt!

 The night before the parade, my Mom and I made breakfast burritos & homemade Butter Horns.  I woke up really early the morning of the parade, warmed up our parade food, and put it in my thermal tote...thing.  It was perfect, and stayed hot.  Perfect parade food.

 

baby not amused

 

Ellary fell asleep & Karson was entertained with hot food.  Plus, we were there so early, we claimed the city buss seats.  Perfect!

 Karson loved the parade.  Especially the having candy thrown at him part.

 

It warmed up, and turned out to be an absolutely beautiful morning!

 

 

   

   Oh, look.  Little Miss woke up for the end of the parade. 

She woke up much happier!

Ellary & Nana

So excited to get "eye glass."

And of course, no Santa Parade is complete without Santa.

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I get the itch to put up the Christmas Tree 2 weeks before Thanksgiving.  I waited until the weekend before Thanksgiving this year. 

We put up our tree, got out the lights...and they didn't work.  So...Daddy and Karson made a trip to Costco to pick up new lights.

I love pulling out or ornaments & setting up our tree!

 

Karson has rearranged our ornaments more times than I can count!

Meet T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

The little one who will not leave the Christmas Tree alone.

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I can't help but remember last Christmas.  Dreaming about what it would be like having our sweet baby girl with us the next year.  I love that she is experiencing the same Christmas Traditions as her Big Brother.  I can't help but dream about next year...with a 3 year old and 1 year old.  I love being a Mom!