Christmas

What a wonderful day! I was telling my sister-in-law Jen and Aaron that I was far more excited this year, not for my gifts, but to watch Brooklyn and her enthusiasm related to the Christmas season. All the baking, decorating, shopping, Santa visits, crafts, church and presents....she was a hoot! I am already pumped about next year because it will just be that much more fun.

This year was pretty low key involving family. Nana and Papa de Wolfe came to our house on Christmas morning and we ae breakfast together. Afterwards, we were able to skype with Jason, Jen, Addy and Kate to find out that Baby #3 is a BOY!! Everyone is beside themselves with joy. Then, is was time to open up gifts. Lots and lots of gifts....for Brooklyn. It was great! Her favorite gift, by far, is the foldout couch that Nana and Papa got her. Cayleigh got a baby doll from the Jason de Wolfe family and that, unfortunately for C, has become a keeper for Brooklyn as well. (Looks like I know what will be on the wish list for next year!)







Cooking and naps to follow a morning full of smiles and laughs. We enjoyed a mouth-watering prime rib, loaded mashed potatoes, asparagus and divine desserts.





We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and B ate some of his cake.


We are so very thankful and blessed for a wonderful Christmas this year. And we are especially glad that Nana and Papa joined us!




Merry Christmas 2011 from our sweet girls, B and C.

"Read"

Brooklyn will wear you out with books. She will ask you to read book, after book, return it to the shelf and just keep 'em coming! There are a handful of her books that she knows so well, (and we have read soooo many times) she reads them to us!

I decided to film her the other night at bedtime, just to have it as a saved memory of these daily occasions.
Mickey's Easter, Hoppy Clubhouse

FYI: Brooklyn mixes up grace with bedtime prayer! The strange sound is Cayleigh in my arms, sucking on her paci.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve morning, Uncle Dan, Aunt Amanda and cousin Remi came over for brunch and play time. The cousins had fun racing around the living room, eating candy cane and snowman shaped pancakes, and decorating birthday cupcakes for Jesus.




Decorating and munching!


Dancing to the music.


"Ready, Set, Go!"




Sweet and Silly Remi :)

Later that afternoon, we went to church for a candlelight service and enjoyed a calm evening at the house!



Just before bedtime, the girls took a bath and Brooklyn set out cookies for Santa, carrots for his reindeer and we watched Mommy's favorite Christmas show, How The Grinch Stole Christmas! We read T'was The Night Before Christmas and fell fast asleep (especially Mommy).

Lil Helper, Lil Snitch

Brooklyn has been very involved in my Christmas shopping this year. Obviously she and Cayleigh are always with me during the time that I have to get gifts for others (Aaron). It is fun asking her opinion about various things and allowing her to help me. Unfortunately, she has the memory of an elephant and talks about EVERYTHING! She recalls way too much and can speak very clearly!
And now....she has disclosed, on numerous occasions, what I have bought for Aaron. What a little stinker! Hehe! She doesn't really mean it, but she likes to tell Daddy what she did during the day. Well, maybe next year we will work on how to keep a secret.

Baby Orga

Meet Orga!

Ever since Cayleigh has arrived, Brooklyn has become a fabulous mother to her sweet baby named Orga. Yes, Orga! Oh my, don't even ask me where she came up with this name!! Anyhow, whatever Mommy is doing with Cayleigh, Brooklyn does with Orga. When we go on walks, B has to take Orga in her stroller. Naps, bedtime, baths, trips in the car, Orga is right beside Lil Mommy B. Orga plays on the playmate when Cayleigh does, lays in the swing when Cayleigh is finished, gets fed when Cayleigh does (And if you are wondering....yes, I did have to speak with Brooklyn about feeding Orga with a bottle because she did put Orga under her shirt to fed her at one point! Gotta love the innocence).

Brooklyn even has a special blanket for Orga.

It is quite cute and loving to see Brooklyn take care of her baby. I will certainly take the mimicking over tantrums due to a new sibling arriving for sure!

I honestly think it is just the name "Orga" that gets me every time!

Burping Orga (please excuse the wild messy hair)


Orga can stand up just like Cayleigh.




Bath and lunch time with Orga.


ALL the girls on the playmat, including Big Minnie and Baby Minnie as well!

Christmas Baking with Nana

Nana came to our house yesterday to do some baking! Poor Nana got steps away from our house and realized that she had forgotten the crinkle cookie and shortbread cookie dough that she had pre-made. That's ok because we were on no sort of timeline!



We had a fabulous time! Mommy made peanut butter paisley brownies and chocolate chip cookies before Nana had arrived; along with making the dough portion for cake balls and oreo balls. Brooklyn had a blast doing odds and ends things with me: crushing peppermint, adding chocolate chips, and placing m&m's on dipped pretzels.





But once Nana arrived with the other dough, she got to roll the crinkle cookies in powdered sugar. She also got to roll the dough with a rolling pin, choose the cookie cutter shapes and cut them out. Then, of course, decorate!!! Oh my!!







The end results were: brownies, 3 different types of cookies, covered pretzels, and 3 different types of cake balls...YUMMY!!






Brooklyn quickly learned to lick her fingers as often as possible and especially when Mommy wasn't looking! Best of all...taste testing with Nana!





Thank you Nana for a great day :)

One Month Old, Already?!?

I can not believe our little sweetheart is one month old already! Time seriously has to slow down. Happy first month of life to Baby Cayleigh, Cayleigh Girl, Sissy, CC; you are so loved by all and your big sister adores you!

Cayleigh has begun to be more alert and awake these days. She is plumping up very nicely with all she eats and spits up....yes, she definitely spits up more than her sister did. Her right eye is still a bit goopy, so after speaking with the nurse, we will continue to apply ointment to her clogged tear duct for another week. We are hoping it clears to prevent any eye surgery at 6 months. C is a pretty good sleeper and always wants to be moving in the bouncer, swing, or in someones arms around the house.

Hey Santa

Last year, Brooklyn was terrified of Santa and the pictures of her were just plain difficult to look at, since she was so upset!!



This year, I decided to take a different approach and do some more "prep" work: talking about Santa and what she could ask him to bring her, pointing out Santa and how nice he is. "You get to sit on Santa's lap and take a picture." She was always pumped about it, but didn't want to go see him when we saw the lights at Texas Motor Speedway. So, I bumped up the "prepping!" Success :)
Friday evening after dinner we drove over to the Keller ISD center where they were having free pictures with Santa. They had a donkey named Dolly for kids to pet and feed. The only bad part was it was outside....pretty cold! Nonetheless, after introducing B to Dolly, she was a bit scared when the donkey would turn towards her, but loved petting her neck. She even decided to feed her!! REALLY?!?! (This girl would scream for the horses and such, but refused to get on them or even close in proximity.)





Alright, we are on a roll here, let's head over to see Santa. We first stopped by the cut-out Santa to get some shots and she was given a number.



Then we were off to see Santa. I was telling B as I placed her on his lap, "Ok, tell Santa what you want for Christmas!" Fingers crossed...."Baby bottles, Santa," says Brooklyn. Nice! She sat with him and smiled; I just didn't capture it with my camera (they are supposed to email their photos to us.)


A very nice couple offered to take our picture as a family!! Even though it was cold and Santa was not exactly the best looking....it was a fun experience.



Saturday morning, Brooklyn had her second soccer game. There were not as many parents dragging their kids after the ball, so a few of the players were able to actually dribble and kick the ball without running into an adult. Brooklyn scored 3 goals.....HAT TRICK!! She is pretty fast at dribbling and running, but seems to struggle with getting the soccer ball away from the wall without picking it up! Too funny!

Off to Aaron's company Christmas gathering after running home and changing. (Already, running around crazy for kids events....oh boy!!) It was a Santa's workshop for children with crafts and goodies, etc.





When we pulled up, they had a small train taking children on a ride around the parking lot. Brooklyn did not want to go for a ride....here we go again, dang :( So, we stopped to make an ornament first before waiting to see Santa. But much to our surprise, another successful sitting! (Those pictures will be emailed to us soon too.)



We ate cookies and colored, B picked out a gift for Mommy and one for Daddy. She got a Santa stamp on her hand and another candy cane.







And when leaving, Brooklyn says that she wants to ride the train! She loved it. "Daddy, I'm riding the train," she screamed all the way around the parking lot!





What a nice time and a pleasant experience verses last year....Phewwww! I cant wait to receive the pictures from the professional cameras!!!