Monday, December 31, 2012

December

1. Gingerbread (graham cracker) House Decorating

2. Milkshakes!

3. Reading Together

4. Thank you Martha Stewart for This Idea (Sorry, can't find this on her site.) 

5. Jumping

6. Some kind of baking together. :) 


Holiday Festivities

Christkindlmarket Chicago








Holiday Train








Chicago Botanics - TRAINS!

Trains, Fake Snow, Gingerbread Smells...Wonderful Wonderland Express!










Sunday, December 16, 2012

Welcoming in the Season

With much joy I might add (besides the colds that began for all sometime this past week).

Timothy loves Christmas. Whether he was helping dad put up the tree or driving around viewing lights with mom, he loves everything about it. It's hard to know where to begin, because I've been so surprised and filled with happiness throughout the little moments.

We started out setting up the tree following Thanksgiving. Eric and Tim set up the tree while I "hung the stockings with care" (and set up the greenery, cherries, and lights along the banister). Our tree is mostly kid friendly, apparently excluding the wooden train ornaments from my Papa - Tim's pulled off all the wheels...And since then, we've turned on the lights every morning; I think it's making the mornings a bit brighter. :)

Somewhere along the way, I've made some holiday cookies - green rice crispy wreaths and Gma B's ginger snaps. Timothy decorated a graham cracker house and couldn't stop licking the frosting. Up for this week are the candy cane suger cookies and cutting out vanilla bean sugar cookies.

I (hmm...this is becoming a lot about me, sorry), also, attended the annual Women's Christmas Brunch where we spoke about Advent and celebrating the time leading up to Christmas. For those unfamiliar, Advent is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration Jesus at Christmas (defined well by wikipedia).  This is one of my most favorite events from our Church not only because of the potluck brunch foods, but because of the fellowship and songs. This year there was an added treat - putting together an Advent wreath. I've loved bringing this home and sharing it with my family. Here is one of the helpful resources they sent home with us: Four Sundays of Advent. Timothy has mostly enjoyed blowing out the candles rather than their meaning.

But he has loved our Advent book; a very special gift from my family for my family. The Advent Book has brought much joy and clearer understanding of Christmas from a child's perspective. Timothy loves opening one door (like a lift-the-flap book) to see what the day's picture and couple sentences are. He's becoming so familiar that he can fill in the words if I leave them out. Very sweet. We just want him to know why we believe what we believe. We pray that he too will believe and choose them for himself in the future. There's such hope, love, joy, and peace in Jesus.

Today we had a small celebration at home with gifts - Timothy was beyond excited. Our sweet little Cayden was just taking it all in. Initially, he wanted to just eat the paper until he was given the soft, squeaky blocks we gave him! Timothy had so much fun opening gifts and jumped around saying "Thank you, Thank you!" :) He's bringing so much joy to this time of year.

Whenever he sees lights, he yells, "Stop the car, stop the car!" and then giggles. And Cayden just chats and chats and laughs at Timothy. Very sweet to see that brother love bond.

And it's always a happy treat when we receive a Christmas/Holiday card in the mail. They are being put up in our house!

Once I get back into the swing of pictures, I'll be sure to post a trip to the Chicago Botanic Gardens for their model train exhibit with "snow." Timothy could not contain himself there. Literally, he was running circles around them.

Upcoming: Holiday Train on the CTA and a couple family Christmas parties and Christmas with the Bucks!!

Merry Christmas if I don't post again before then!





Thursday, November 29, 2012

Cayden 6mo!




6mo specks
*Weight: 18lbs 1oz
*Length: 27.5"


6mo = 1/2 a year closer to one. How are we here? I definitely feel like I've enjoyed the milestones as much if not more with Cayden; maybe I know how quickly the time really does pass with my boys. Cayden is still that sweet, joyful child. He still doesn't cry much and usually sleeps 9-10hrs at night. (This last month has brought a few inconsistent nights of waking at weird times...) It would be easiest to attribute those wakings to the little specks of white on the bottom gums - teeth soon? Our pediatrician said they usually start getting teeth around 6mo but some as late as 15mo! Wow!

He still loves laughing with us or at a small startle. Timothy has been very successful at getting him to laugh a lot! Must be some new brother connection going on that sometimes we (mom and dad) don't get. Cayden is very good at grasping items big or small and even unintentionally throws them. Timothy recently picked up a thrown toy and said, "Now, don't throw it on the floor again." Once it was thrown again, Tim said, "I said don't throw it again Cayden." Oh dear...we're in for some trouble if that's the case. :) His voice continues to mature with lots of babbles and even a couple 'dada's! And he's the kid that screams...yes, we have a happy screamer on our hands. And sometimes, I can't even tell the difference between the boys screams.

Physically, he's all over the place. Not crawling, but he rotates by rolling or swiveling on his belly. And I've thought many times, 'How did you end up there?' Also, we pulled out the jumperoo - he LOVES it! He's been sitting more and more by himself.

We just started solids: he likes pumpkin, he does not like banana.

What a sweet boy we have been blessed with!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Photo Mishaps

We decided that we'd just use pictures we'd taken of the boys for our Christmas cards this year. Since having Timothy, my dear friend Alauna has taken pictures we've used for Christmas pictures. And needless to say, I'm missing them this year. While we have some great pictures of the boys, it's just not the same.

We'll make do; the boys are too cute not to, but here are some...mishaps. (some were taken with the "intension" of maybe using, some are just plain funny)







Tuesday, November 6, 2012

A bit of Halloween

We weren't able to join our friends from last year trick-or-treating due to timing, but we were able to meet up with a few other friends and had a great time. 

Cayden was the cutest little pumpkin! And while Tim desperately wanted to be a pumpkin like Cayden, he sported a dinosaur costume passed down from my sister. He had a fantastic 'Roar!' that even scared one of his friends. Timothy was a bit resistant to the dino; I'm not sure if maybe he is becoming a little scared of them, but candy was a good motivator for getting it on (and the cooler weather encouraged a warmer costume). 






Monday, October 22, 2012

Timothy is Growing

Timothy's Hands

6mo.

18mo.

2.5yrs.

                                      

October in Pictures