Sam {4 months}

Hey, little buddy.  

You are 4 months today.  

We have loved you for every second of those 4 months.

You still love to eat. {7-8 oz. every 4 hours during the day.}

You smile often...just not when I put a big black thing in your face.

You have this reserved laugh that sometimes makes me think you're laughing at me, not with me.

You are sleeping through the night and napping like a champ.  Sometimes, you get a little confused about your afternoon nap and try to wake up after an hour.  I give you a little pep talk and you eventually fall back to sleep.

You love to snuggle.

You still would rather not be on your stomach.

We think that you are going to roll over from your back to your stomach soon.

We also think that you will have notes on your report card for excessive talking.  You like to jabber.

You are wearing 6 month clothes and size 2 diapers.

Max can make you smile and it melts my heart the way you watch his every move.

He also calls you Sammy Rodney.

You're still snorting like crazy which makes it easy for us to check on you.  We don't even have to open the door to your room...although...I still do because I love to watch you sleep.

Sam, we are so thankful that God had it in His plan to have you be part of our family!

We Love you!

Apparently, Max wasn't feeling the pj's...

Off they go.

  

  

  

10 on 10 {kind of}

It's January 11, not January 10.

I have 14 pictures, not 10.

I took pictures for 12 consecutive hours, not 10.

Close enough...

7:00.

Breakfast with my oldest boy.

He got to pick out his own cereal at the grocery store.

The obvious choice was "the cookie monster cereal".

8:00.

Get Sam.

Feed Sam while watching Mickey.

Always.

9:00.

Preparing to leave the house to run a few errands.  

My patience is tested often during "getting-ready-to leave-the-house-moments". 

10:00.

Sam's Club.

Max wasn't feeling it on our errand run.

11:00 - 5:00.

Cake shop.

 

This girl has been a blast to work with.

Sad that she's leaving our cake shop, but excited for her new opportunities!

  

6:00.

Getting ready for family date night. 

7:00.

Shigs & Pits.

Think about that name for a bit.

Adding this restaurant to our list of favorites.

  

Christmas 2012

I loved Christmas this year.

I guess I should say last year...

{Sidenote:  When I was a kindergarten teacher, my students' favorite thing to say to me right before Christmas break was, "See you next year!"  Aren't five year olds hilarious?}

We simplified presents this year which was a huge stress reliever for me.  

Two gifts for Max...plus his stocking.

Shhh...don't tell Sam.  

He didn't get any presents.

He slept through most of the festivities anyway...

We normally eat at the kitchen table, but during December, we began eating in the dining room, lit candles and read some portion of the Christmas story.

It was a sweet time and such a joy hearing Max learn and begin to talk about the birth of Christ.

We spent the weekend before Christmas with my family.
Bingo is always the highlight.
My dad gets amazing prizes like chip clips, calendars, candles, flashlight key chains, gift cards and the grand prize...a twenty dollar bill.
You should be jealous.
Here are Auntie B and Uncle G with their game faces.

The grandkids got Christmas pj's.
This was the best shot I could get...
At least they're cute.

Christmas morning was spent with our little family.
Wes and I cheated and opened our presents after the kids went to bed on Christmas Eve.
I love being an adult.

  

We had both of our parents over for Christmas dinner.
Wes grilled some amazing fillets...new Christmas tradition.
Wes read the Christmas story around the dinner table and then we all sang all four verses to Joy to the World...another new Christmas tradition.
I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time...another sweet moment.
We finished dinner with singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and eating angel food cake...a Christmas tradition we started last year.

Christmas evening was spent with Wes' parents.
Max enjoyed opening his presents and everyone else's.

  

We decorated a gingerbread house.
As you can see, Max was a big help.
His job was to try all the candy and make sure it was good enough to put on the house.

  

Our Christmas was very merry.
I hope your's was too.