So Much Festive!

We have had a really great  December.  The kids have been relatively healthy which we don't take for granted at all!  There are so many traditions we are trying to cram into this short season and we have had so fun much doing them!

This year we started a new tradition of cutting down our own tree.  Everyone who has been to our house knows there is no shortage of trees (8 total!) but I really wanted a real tree!  It was a lot of fun. I have to admit, when it started snowing like crazy and the kids were shivering, I was a little nervous to set out on the tractor to the farm.  I wasn't sure how that process would go but it was great!  We picked a tree right away and were back in the cozy main building within the hour.  They had free hot chocolate and popcorn too.  So, so fun.

Daddy and Jackson shivering on the tractor.

Picking the perfect tree.



Charley was snuggled in with Momma.

Family photo

 I love the look of our real tree but I am seriously disappointed with the lack of scent.  Oh well.  That's what candles are for!

Yesterday we went to Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier after Charley's appointment with the ENT.  We got a good report from the ENT and were discharged from his care.  Bryan had to be in court so he went to the city early and then we met him there.  It was the perfect time to go and was so much less crowded.  We had an absolute blast there and we were happy to share the fun with Mimi!

JJ always loves this train ride.

Charley, Mimi, and the big tree!

Big Christmas chair time

Charley didn't care for this place.  She wasn't really sure what to do.

 

Charley loved her first carousel ride.

Jackson just wanted to ride the bench which came out sounding like a not as nice word.

The biggest of all rocking horses.

Cookie decorating

Jackson was in heaven.  He looks a little ill in this photo.  He ate a huge cookie and I'm surprised he wasn't really ill later.

 Charley looked so old with her hair in a pony tail.  Except for the fact that she can't walk. Or talk.

Mid-slide and mid-grin!

Waiting in line for the ferris wheel.

This might be the world's fastest ferris wheel.  I was kind of scared.  JJ was ecstatic.  He was shrieking with glee!

 We had such a great family day and we have promised ourselves that we will continue doing this during the week!

The kids were....done by this point.

 The season is getting merrier and merrier as we get closer to Christmas!

Caroline Jane~ Seventeen Months

Caroline Jane, at seventeen months you:

• weigh about 25 pounds.
• wear 24month and 2T clothes.
• size 4 and 5 shoes.
• have so much personality!  You are really funny and can be quite ornery sometimes too!
• still aren't walking but you are making more progress.  You can pull up to a stand and cruise around furniture but you don't like to stand unassisted.  You are still very wobbly and it's so hard for you.
• finally qualified for physical therapy!  You just barely qualified but Mommy is so happy that you did.  You will start physical and speech therapy soon.
• are loving bath time right now.  You go through phases but you seem to enjoy it right now and you don't cry when we rinse your hair.
• wore your first real ponytail.  It was the sweetest.
• have started seeing a pulmonologist who said you probably have asthma.  You seem to always be sick.
• take a lot of medicine every day.  You are used to it and even the breathing treatments don't seem to bother you.
• are starting to talk more but it's not easy to understand.  Nana thinks you have more words than Mommy does.
• love pushing you baby doll around in the pink stroller.  Even though you can't walk, you pull up on that and zip it around all over the place.

We love you so much, sweet girl!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are in the car driving home from Nana and Papa's house!  We decided it was a net positive experience which is wonderful!!  We always decide when it's over if it was mostly good or mostly bad. It's how we roll these days:). Nothing with kids is easy except passing germs.

Jackson and Nana were preparing stuffing muffins.  Later he wanted a "cupcake" but once it was on his plate, he decline.  He saw a vegetable in it.  GASP! He ate very little of the Thanksgiving meal.  Someday he'll see what he's missing.

Friday we went to Paradise Park.  It was our first trip and it went well!  JJ loved pretending to buy groceries, they played in the ball pit, and explored outside.

Miss Lindsay is Jackson's favorite person.  She was SO helpful with the kids.  We were shocked to see Jackson sitting still to "play" checkers.

Friday night my parents offered to watch the kids while we went to the Mayor's Christmas Tree lighting.  It was fun to spend time with Mike and Lindsay and we really enjoyed our dinner at Houston's and the pretty Plaza Lights.

Last night we hung out with family friends and watched the Mizzou game!  It was a great night!

Thanks for hosting us and our breathing treatments and tantrums, Nana and Papa!  

I have more photos to share but these are what I could post whole driving.  Happy Sunday!

Jackson and Charley's Christmas Lists

I always have a hard time keeping up with the kids' lists and who was getting what so I decided to put it all here.  99% of the people who will see this are family so just comment on what you are getting so there are no duplicates.  Or you can still just tell me if you are worried about duplicates.  The clothes and pajamas for both kids are mostly just for size.  Click on the links below to direct you to them or you can get them at the store.

 

 1.  Charley wears 2T pajamas.  Long sleeve and pants are usually best as her room can get cold, even in the summer!
2.  Hooded towels in the toddler size, not infant size.
3. We need some wooden step stools in the bathroom for teeth brushing.
4.  Leap Frog Tea Party Set
5.  She will be wearing 2T soon!  Tops I usually just get 2T.  She can still wear 24months in pants.
6.  She'll be in size 5 shoes soon!
7.  We are always looking for bath toys with no squirt options because they moldy fast!

 

1.  Jackson already has Toy Story but he would like other Disney DVDs or Blu Rays.

2.  He wears 4T pajamas.

3.  This is the new version of Lite Brite!

4.  JJ is loving all things Play Doh.

5.  We saw this fire truck at Target and he loved it!

6. These Lego Duplo kits can go with sets he already has.

7.  Jackson needs a wooden step stool too!

8.  Superheroes.

9.  Jackson is wearing 4T clothes.

Sonny Acres - Year 5

A few weeks ago we took our annual trip to Sonny Acres.  We're Fall Fanatics, I think.  We got to every fall festival there is.  There's just something about the roasted corn atmosphere there that we love.  And babies look cuter when surrounded by pumpkins.

 Jackson was having a great time trying to pick up all the pumpkins.  He was acting like a total boy here trying to show how strong he was.

 One of the things we love about Sonny Acres are thee rides.  This picture captures the experience pretty well.  Jackson was ecstatic and Charley was, well, unsure of it all.

 This is another tradition must for our family!  Our "How Tall This Fall" photo.  We always go in the afternoon and it's in the same place every year.  It's in the worst possible spot for photos.  Back lit like crazy and right in front of giant cardboard bins full of pumpkins that people are looking through.  It's a mess but we have to do it!

 

 Jackson had so much fun running around and playing with his daddy.  Bryan had a lot of fun too until he hit his back on a tunnel that was lower than he thought.  It was sore for days!

 The petting zoo was a bust this year.  Charley didn't care for the goats in her face and Jackson was being a punk.  He was mad that the goats were eating the food out of his cup but he was too stubborn to let us hold the cup.  So he made his point by dumping all his food on the ground in an angry, dramatic display of power.  You win, kid.

 But sometimes he's really sweet and cute so I think we'll keep him around.

 

 

I'm already excited to see Charley running around here next year having the time of her life too!

Caroline Jane~ Sixteen Months

The months are flying by!  I have to (and hate to) admit that these posts are a little harder to do now that I am not with the kids 24/7.  Her teachers are great about keeping me in the loop though.  We are so ready for Thanksgiving break!  Just a few weeks.
Caroline Jane, at sixteen months you:

• are just starting to pull on things to a stand. You are just so wobbly and won't take a risk at all.  You are pretty content right where you are.
• can walk holding on to Mommy and Daddy's fingers.  You don't like to walk with just one finger though. It's still a bit unstable for you.
• love, love, love using a fork.  And you are really good at it.  You cry in your high chair sometimes and Mommy used to think you were done.  Then you just cried more.  Once Mommy realized you just wanted a fork, you were a happy girl!
• are sleeping much better again.  You usually sleep all night.  You are taking a 1.5 to 2 hour nap at day care. 
• are spending more and more time in the Toddler room at school.  One day Mommy picked you up from that room at snack time and you were sitting on a little chair at the table.  You looked like such a big girl.
• love dogs.  Especially Claire.  If you are really upset, we can call Claire over and she makes you laugh every time.
• love Jackson.  He loves to play games with you and tickle you.  You think he is the best person on earth.
• take a lot of medicine.  You take Zyrtec every night for your allergies as well as a Nasonex, a nasal spray.  You also take one nebulizer treatment of Pulmicort each night. Mommy is hoping it keeps your lungs healthy so you don't get sick as often.
• are not making much progress with your speech but you keep signing new things and show us all the time that you understand what we are saying.  You follow directions so well.  Almost all of your words are some form of "Ba" except or "Mama."    You can sign more, milk, please, thank you, and all done.
• get so many compliments on how long your hair is getting.  It is really long but it gets tangled really easily.  You always wake up with a huge knot in the back of it from rolling all over your bed at night.  Mommy usually puts in in a ponytail or two piggies.  When Mommy puts a bow in your hair you usually pull it out in the car.  And your shoes and socks.  All of those things are thrown all over the car.
• make Mommy and Daddy so, so happy.

Thighs, Funny Signs and Letters

It's been a crazy couple weeks.  Which I can only assume is our new normal since we're 9 or 10 weeks in to school and it hasn't let up any.  There are so many great moments sprinkled in that I want to remember.

Charley's naps have been all over the place. Kind of like her rolls.  I hope these rolls stay around a long time!

Last weekend I decided to try making homemade soft pretzels. (Not worth it!). Jackson "helped" and had a blast.

Tuesday was my birthday so Meredith and Kyle came over to watch the kids and Bryan and I went to the Melting Pot!  Sooo Goooood!

I just had to share this unfortunate sign that I passed on the way to work.  It's been 4 days and the sign still reads Colon Cafe! 💩

Charley was so hungry at lunch today.  We'll work in manners later.

I prepped dinner for tomorrow night and Charley helped by reorganizing the pots and pans.,

Jackson has been obsessed with writing lately.  We would have sworn he was going to be a leftie but he's been writing with his right hand a lot too. He's getting great at it!

He can even kind of write his name!  With an additional E and F, just for fun.

The kids have really adjusted to day care well.  We had two weeks with healthy kids and it was glorious.  Judging by the number of runny noses and coughs at drop-off pick up, I'd say another round of colds is juuuuust around the corner.  Cheers to more Tylenol, albuterol, and sleepless nights!

Caroline Jane~Fifteen Months

Caroline Jane, at fifteen months you:

• are ALL over the place.  You're still just crawling everywhere but we can hardly keep up.  You go right for Claire's water bowl or the electrical outlets.
• had your first overnight hospital stay since you were born.  You were basically just diagnose with asthma and allergies that combined to give you a hard time breathing.  After some breathing treatments you were released.  Now you take asthma and allergy medicine daily.
• are loving school.  You are getting better at naps and even take some on your cot like a big girl.
• love all the different foods you get at school.  You never turn down food though you are starting to get a bit pickier.
• have totally changed your sleep habits.  You used to be a really consistent and reliable sleeper.  Now you sleep all the way through some nights and others you wake up several times.
• are wearing 18 or 24 month clothes.  The 18's fit perfectly and the 24's give you room to grow.
• still take a bottle every night.  Mommy has tried to wean you from it a couple times but with all the transitions you have been going through lately,  Mommy just gave up.  You won't always drink a bottle.
• can walk behind your push toys now.  You aren't really great at it yet but it's a start. 
• are signing more and more words but still aren't talking much.  You routinely say ball, bye bye, and mama.  You can sign milk, more, thank you, please, and all done.
• are going to do things in your own time.  Momma keeps worrying about your development every step of the way but is trying to just enjoy each phase while you're in it.

We love you, Charley Jane!