It's Christmas Time...

I just love this time of year....there really is nothing better than seeing Christmas through a child's eyes. This is the first year where Greyson really "gets" it. He's telling me the story of baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, all of it. He also tells me all about Santa and he didn't even cry when he saw him (he still didn't like him though....or look at him). He has told me that what he wants for Christmas...."Mommy, I want prizes and birthdays!" That seems easy enough...he's going to get his wish this January as it is birthday central with both of the babies turning a year older. I can't believe how time has flown this year. It feels like Hannah was just born, and Greyson just turned 2. Now, our little Hannah is pulling up and cruising, and we cannot get Greyson to stop talking.

We have been SO busy this month with tons of Mommy get togethers and special family Christmas outings. I don't know what we'll do when this holiday festival ends, but I don't even want to think about it yet. Greyson is just completely in love with all things Christmas. He is also obsessed with relationships....and by relationships I mean the relationship of different things. Right now he is stuck on how some things are big, and some things are little. He keeps telling me that "Hannah is yitto (little) and tiny, Mommy! I am big!" I try to keep getting him to say it, because it's just so cute that he doesn't say his l's right. I can't seem to capture it on video, but I'd better get that done quickly or he will start saying it correctly, and I'll have missed it. Here are some pics from our adventures over the last couple of weeks.

Hannah's 1st Christmas tree...it had to be pink and green to go with her room of course!
We had our 1st "snow" here in Texas quite early....well, we usually don't get one at all so it was rather exciting. Nothing stuck, but Greyson loved "getting ice on my hands." It was really fun to watch, and I hope we get a good ice/snow before the season's over so Greyson can really play in it.
Chi Chi was cold, and she needed to wear her warm weather gear for the occasion. Daddy with the kids playing around in the living room. Greyson likes to feel big and "hold" Hannah. They are really starting to play together. Hannah is in love with her big bro, and he sure enjoys the attention. Hannah is just getting too big too fast...she's pulling up and cruising on everything. This also means that she is getting into even MORE "forbidden" things. The list continues to grow of things she finds that I can say an ignored "no-no" to every day. What can I say....it's a gift!With the big success of the Land of Gar (Garland) Labor Day parade we thought we would take Greyson to a big parade for Christmas. We took him to the Adolphus Children's Christmas parade, and it was a huge hit! We would have taken Hannah, but it was absolutely frigid that morning so Grandma was gracious enough to watch her. Greyson was all bundled up to try to keep warm. The best view of the parade...Greyson so happy after seeing Toot and Puddle and Bob the Builder.I decided to take the kids to see Santa on my own on Monday. Santa had some tricks up his sleeve for getting a non crying picture which I was very grateful for, but he still wasn't high up on the kid's liking list. Greyson was scared, and Hannah was screaming. Here they are all dressed up.Hannah after the pic playing at the mall play area in her tutu...Crawling around having fun...Hannah in her super cute beanie...We took the kids to the Bass Pro Shop Christmas Wonderland last night. It was SO fun! They had TONS of stuff to do, and it was all free. You just can't beat that...

Greyson loved the trains of course!He also loved the ATV!
Hannah loved it even more!Mommy was SUPER excited that Daddy taught Greyson how to shoot a pump action shot gun ;-). He sure loved playing with that thing....Greyson's friend Anders came too, and they rode the ATV together.The kids rode with Daddy on the Merry-go-round.He loved driving the boat.and looking at fish...There's still so much more to come in the next few weeks, and I can't wait to enjoy more fun experiences with the kids. Off to enjoy the quiet for a few minutes while both kids are napping :-).

Sickos...

Well....Greyson was sick...still sick really, and then Hannah got sick and still is....juggling the two sick kids over the Thanksgiving holiday meant not a lot of outings but still some great memories. James stayed home from work Wednesday to help me take both kids to the doctor...basically they just said to let it run its course, but if it didn't get better by the weekend to start them on antibiotics. I really hate antibiotics, because the side effects seem to not make them worth it. I am breaking down and starting them today, because they both just can't seem to kick this one on their own. Greyson was pretty pitiful in the beginning resting with Daddy after his Dr appointment

We still went to Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa's house, but we tried to keep our distance. Hannah decided to put on a big show for the occasion. She got her 3rd tooth which happens to finally be on the bottom (left) so now she can eat some corn on the cob :-). She also pulled up for the very first time on Grandma's coffee table and couch. She's growing up too fast.....its official! Here she is standing for maybe the 2nd time with her cousin Austin. Greyson and Cody had fun playing and eating Tammy's yummy chocolate pies made special for them :-).James' Grandpa was supposed to come with James late in the afternoon so he could join in the festivities, but he was having some trouble so they both ended up staying at Pa's house. That was sad, but we still had a good time. Tammy, Kim, Hannah, and I went shopping for more Christmas decorations at Garden Ridge.

Hannah has discovered a vast love for all things cracker, bread, and cereal related....she's definitely my child!I gave her a biter biscuit the other day to try and preserve her mood while I cooked dinner. Greyson hated these things so of course she would love them. I hadn't been paying attention for a bit, and then I saw her.....She was in hog heaven.....had soggy biscuit in her hair, her eyelashes, her clothes, EVERYWHERE! She's such a ham!

I have had to resort to desperate measures in order to keep this baby contained although she is probably going to outsmart this setup pretty soon.Yes...that's our daughter in the bath tub. Hey...it works...she hates the pack and play, and this is deep enough that she can't climb out.....yet, and it keeps her contained with some toys. The only challenge is when Greyson wants to get in too, and things get a little dangerous with both of them in there.

Friday, we put up Greyson's little tree, and he was SO excited. I don't think you will meet a 2 year-old who is more excited about Christmas time. He LOVES it all...the season, the decorations, the music...it's all Christmas all the time right now. He tells me about baby Jesus and how it's his birthday....it's pretty cute! This was his expression when we first turned the lights on...It was magical...he wants to sit in his room at night with the room light off, and the Christmas tree on to sing Christmas carols. We have a big tree in the living room, but he just loves to sit and enjoy his own little tree together. It's really special to see Christmas through a child's eyes...everything so new and exciting.

We spent Saturday working on the family tree.
There are a lot of tubs scattered throughout the house, and I am SD looking forward to having everything decorated and put away.
I'll have to take a pic once we have a finished product (if that ever happens).

Hannah and Greyson took their first "co-bath." James and I have been taking turns bathing each of them separately, but Hannah is finally strong and big enough to hold her own in the bath with Stinker Boy. Greyson was so excited he refused to sit on the potty before getting in and Hannah was spazzing out!
Hannah was watching me bathe Greyson so she decided to help with that effort....too funny!
Greyson had his very first dental visit Monday, and I absolutely prepared for the worst. Predental....he was all smiley and excited!
First time in the dental chair.....not so sure...."I want to hold you, Mommy!"
The tide started to turn when they let him pick out sunglasses to wear during the appointment....no surprise he picked out Thomas the Train sunglasses and kept saying they look like Daddy's (ok...maybe the shape, but James doesn't wear glasses like that).
Then the dental hygienist won him over with her story of Mr. Thirsty (the suction), Mr. Squirt (the water pik), Mr. Brush (you get the idea), and blue raspberry toothpaste. She kept telling him to kiss Mr. Thirsty....
He LOVED it.....then he let her brush foam onto his teeth and give his teeth hugs (aka - floss). He even sat for x-rays...the kid was on FIRE!
I wish he behaved even a 1/4 as well as he did for them at that office for me, but I guess he reserves his greatness for the public. That's both good and bad....

On to further decorating...Christmas cards are officially stuffed, addressed, labeled, and stamped. Now onto the rest of the list....loving the holiday season!

What to say...

Things have been a little slow in Shelton Land as Mommy has been battling the sniffles and staying away from big outings. Headed to Great Grandma's for an impromptu dinner Sunday to visit. Hannah and Greyson had fun "modeling" and riding her rocking horse. I think these kids are showing a real passion for horses lately...we'll have to go ride a real pony again. Greyson still talks about it.

Hannah modeling..Riding the horsey.Greyson's turn...he kept saying, "Yee-haw!"I had to get a shot of Hannah's front little buck tooth before the other one came all the way in....she looks stinkin' adorable with it!Now...she's teething big time, and it looks like the bottom one will come in to match. She had her 9 month check up (a little late), and she is growing like a weed. She weighed 19lbs 8 oz (70th percentile), 28" long (70th), and her head was 17" (80th). She's a big girl, but she will NEVER be as big as little stinker boy. He's just growing up so fast these days. I can't believe the things he says now....or rather sings. He told me the other day that he wanted to sing "Jingle Bells." Mind you I've never heard the boy sing much more than the ABC's and The Wheels on the Bus. I figured he wouldn't even know it, but he gos and sings the whole song.....well, the chorus anyways. I was thoroughly impressed.

In honor of the critical event of the absolute must go see NEW MOON, Hannah wore her tennis/cheerleading outfit. GO TEAM EDWARD! More cuteness.Loved the movie....Mom, Tammy, Kim, and I went to the VIP showing the night before it opened at 9:30. It was the craziest, most insane crowd I have ever witnessed...Literally almost 7000 people trying to see this movie....MAYHEM! Our lovely self portrait post movie....Now that Mommy is FINALLY feeling better...of course, Greyson is now getting sick. I told him about blowing him nose, and James might have mentioned that he was "getting sick." Bad decision...you just don't tell a 2 year-old these things. He now is going up to everyone and telling me repeatedly that "my nose is sick......I getting sick....I need tissue." It's cute but not so good when you are trying to make it to a special event and act like you don't have the sniffle kid. We went to Great Grandpa's Thanksgiving feast at The Corinthians today. It was so nice to meet everyone at his place....Hannah and Greyson were quite the entertainers :-). I honestly didn't get to take any pics with my camera....things were a bit crazy.

We got our family pics on a CD so now I can FINALLY share them. We are so happy with how they turned out. Here are a few...or several. It's hard to pick which ones to post. I love them ALL! Here's stinker boy playing peek-a-boo!
Our first family shot attempt...They're adorable!

This is the "official" family pic...the one that will hang on the fireplace!
So sweet...he loves giving her kisses.
They were checking out the turtles in the middle of the pond....so cute!My handsome boys...

Love it!
Our little princess...
Daddy & his little princess.
One of our last shots....
Yay...we're done!
Here's hoping that Greyson stops sniffling, and the week goes smoothly. Can't wait for Thanksgiving and putting up the Christmas tree....so thankful for James and our kids....my whole family. I am truly blessed. What a magical time of year...