Merry Christmas 2009

We've had a busy Christmas season, as usual. We went to Houston the weekend of the 20th and spent time with some friends and Eric's family. We got to visit our old church and Eric, Graham and I even got to be Mary, Joseph, and (a very big) baby Jesus for the "Search for Baby Jesus" that Sunday night. My mom came to visit us on Christmas Eve, and stayed for a few days. It was great getting to visit with her. I hope it becomes much more often! On Saturday we went to New Braunfels to meet with more of my family. We all had such a great time! Here are some pics from our holiday!

Christmas Eve
Cookies for Santa



Reading the Christmas Story
Natalie read the story for the first time this year while Erica played with the nativity.






Santa has arrived!


Christmas morning
Natalie loved the hula hoop she got from Nana


So did Graham!


Opening presents with Daddy


Green Candy Cane Tongue


Singing a duet on the karaoke machine Nana got them

Christmas Cards

I was pleased as punch that I got pics taken for our Christmas cards in a timely manner this year. Of course, then I had to design the cards. Then I had to order them and wait for them to get shipped to me. Then I had to remember to buy more envelopes at the store. Then I had to go to the post office to buy stamps. Then I had to address all the envelopes. Then I had to stamp all the envelopes. Then I designed address labels for them. Then I had to find the address label sheets so I could print them. Then I had to put all the labels on all the envelopes. So... needless to say, I didn't get my cards out as soon as I would have liked. At least I did get them out BEFORE Christmas this year. *sigh*

I ended up ordering them from seehere.com. I get them printed as 4x6 photos, and they were having a special for new customers - 100 free 4x6 prints, just pay shipping (which ended up being less than $5). I was really not happy with the quality at all. The pics are grainy and washed out. I know my lighting wasn't stellar in the pics, but it just looks so much better on my computer screen than it does printed. It's ok since I got them for so cheap, but I won't be ordering prints from them again most likely.

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Check-ups

Just a fly by update of our check up appt this morning for Graham and Erica.

Graham is 22.75lbs and 30.5". He is hitting all his milestones as he should be. Doing great!

Erica is 34lbs and 39". I'm going to take her to a dermatologist for her eczema. We're doing all the typical things and it's just not clearing up. She also has a mole on her scalp, right in her hairline, that doesn't seem to be getting any bigger, but the dr. mentions it at each appt, so it's worth getting checked out too. I'm also going to be taking Erica and Natalie to a speech pathologist to get checked out. Erica is still pretty hard to understand by most people. I can get most of what she says, but it's hard sometimes. She just doesn't pronounce things right. Natalie has outgrown all of her mispronunciations except for her hard and soft th sounds. She still says them wrong and it's starting to affect her reading/spelling because she tries to spell words the way she says them. Like birthday is birfday and that is dat. Erica did get her hearing checked and she passed just fine. I was a little worried about that. She has the speech issues, she sits really close to the tv, she talks REALLY loud, and she makes us repeat ourselves a lot. Any of those things on their own I wouldn't worry about at all, she is 4 year old afterall. But all together just made me go hmmm. The dr. did say that there is more extensive hearing testing they can do, but to see what the speech pathologist has to say first.

It was a long appt, but the kids did great. Erica and Graham both got some shots, so they weren't happy campers at the end. And then they were out of lollipops!!! End of the world! I told Erica she could pick whatever she wanted for lunch and we'd get it on the way home and she said she just wanted to go home and eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Love her!

Erica's 4th Birthday Party #2 and misc.

We went to Houston for the weekend. On Saturday we got together with Eric's extended family for our annual Thanksgiving meal. Then on Sunday we went to church and then had Erica's birthday party with the family at Incredible Pizza. She had a great time and loved getting to see all her favorite people again!

The cake that Nana made for her.


blowing out the candles


digging in! I guess she saw Graham get to have at his cake, so she decided to do the same! LOL


icing beard




Here is my favorite pic I took of her during her 4 year photo shoot.


Poor Graham. I guess with 2 sisters and another on the way, this is how he is destined to spend most of his childhood.


Natalie's soccer season has ended and we went to her end of season party last week. She enjoyed playing this season so much and I have no doubt we'll be back out there in the spring!

Here she is with her coach, getting her trophy.


And with her team

Erica's 4th Birthday Party #1

Erica's actual birthday isn't until next Tuesday, but she's really getting the royal birthday treatment this year! She had a joint birthday party with a friend on Sunday. Then we'll be taking her to dinner next Tuesday for her birthday. Then we'll be having a party for her with family in Houston the Sunday after her birthday. It's about time she has a fuss made about her birthday. She always seemed to get the short end of the stick when it came to party planning. My friend Erika and I decided to have a joint party for our girls since they're birthdays are pretty close together and we were planning on inviting all the same people anyway. The girls decided they wanted a Disney Princess Party. It worked out great because Erika (this is a lot less confusing typed out since she spells her name different than my Erica) and I split the cost and details of the party. She took care of the food, I ordered the cakes. She bought and filled the pinata, I put together the goody bags, etc. There was a houseful of kids and I think EVERYONE had a really great time! I know the birthday girls did! I didn't take a whole lot of pictures, but here are a few.

The birthday girls Madison and Erica


About half of the kids at the party


My favorite pic. I just think it looks so magical!

Blog Carnival - Halloween Costumes

I'm participating in a blog carnival over at Kelly's Korner and am posting some of our past Halloween Costumes!

2003
Natalie the ladybug at a Halloween Carnival


Natalie in a poodle skirt at the Kemah Boardwalk on Halloween Night


2004
Natalie as Pebbles at the Zoo Boo


Natalie the ballerina at a Fall Festival on Halloween Night


2005
Natalie the pumpkin on Halloween Night


my painted "Erica" belly


2006
Natalie the fireman and Erica the dalmation




2007
doctors and nurses at a playgroup Halloween Party


Natalie as Belle and Erica the pirate


2008
Natalie and Erica the ballerinas at a Fall Festival on Halloween Night


1 week old Graham the sleeping cat


2009
Natalie as Sleeping Beauty (she may end up being Cinderella on Halloween, she has both dress up costumes and keeps changing her mind), Erica as Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure, Graham the lion



Here is Graham on Halloween Night when he kept his lion mane/hat on!

Happy 1st Birthday Graham!

We celebrated Graham's birthday yesterday with some family and friends. He had a great time playing, eating cake, and opening presents. Thank you to everyone who was able to come and celebrate with us!

The cake


The Smash Cake


Graham sticking out his tongue


The pinata!


I just love the progression of Graham digging into his cake! It was perfection.

hmmmm


Maybe just a little taste


That tastes pretty good


mmm, I should try some more


Don't worry Mom, I won't make a mess


oh my that's good cake


Forget about it! I'm digging in!





Haha This is fun!


and of course my friends couldn't leave well enough alone and kept trying to encourage him to put it in his hair. Putting the party hat on (which he hated) did the trick! lol



At 12 month old, Graham:
eats 3 meals and 2 snacks a day - mostly all table food and milk or water in a sippy (NO MORE BOTTLES!!! woohoo)
sleeps 12-13 hours at night
takes 2 naps most days
wears 18 or 24 mos clothes
wears a size 5 shoe
wears a size 4 diaper
has 8 teeth
walks really well, almost running
loves to "talk" but doesn't say any real words yet
signs "more", "all done", and "milk"