Christmas 2010

We had a wonderful Christmas this year, especially now that Max and Kate are a bit older and were able to enjoy opening presents and playing with their new toys. We spent Christmas Eve in Mesa with Phil's parents and then before we headed home we stopped at the Rapier's for dinner. We really enjoyed spending the day with family.

Christmas morning we spent on our own and then headed up to Prescott to visit Reed & Melissa for the weekend. We made our traditional German meal of rouladen and rotkohl, potatoes and I made a not so German Oreo Cheesecake.

We videoed our entire Christmas morning and are therefore short on the pictures. Here are two that I tried to capture just as we were getting started:





The morning did get better. Paper was torn, toys played with and we had to put them aside so they could open more gifts.





Phil got me a steam cleaner and has been tirelessly steaming our nasty rental tile. The gift that keeps on giving! My mom surprised me with a new wheat grinder and I am excited to make our bread each week with superfine flour.

This year Max and Kate's ornaments are Raggedy Ann and Andy. I went to an ornament exchange party and opened the cutest ones and then they got stolen (it was White Elephant style). So sad! I was excited since we received these dolls when the kids were in the NICU. I made my own and think they turned out darling.



I made this Scotty Dog for the exchange and want him back. I will have to make more next year.



Aunt Loretta made the kids these precious bunnies. She made them! The Velveteen Rabbit book accompanied them and they are currently living the high life in their cribs.





I got Phil throwing knives and made a target. Max and Kate helped.



I wanted to give handmade gifts this year, keeping it simple and hopefully special. Below are the gifts I made with the links to tutorials if anyone is interested.

Lamb Pillows for Max and Kate





Ruffle Scarf &Felt Flower Clips/Brooches for my mom and sisters





Crayon Roll for my nephew

Jingle Bell Run

Saturday I ran my first race, a 5k. My only goal going in was to run the entire race and I did. I ran it slow and steady finishing at 32:55, I am a turtle and yet I passed a few people and that always made me feel good and I tried not to feel badly when old men would pass me greeting every runner they passed.



We kept the kids up from their nap and Phil arrived with them just before I finished. We shared bananas and cookies after the race and talked with a fellow runner who spotted Max and Kate, as she has a twin brother.



My face got so red and hot that my sunglasses would occasionally fog up, it took me a good hour to return to my normal self.



I signed up for a 10K in February and I am not sure I want to run over 6 miles! I am thinking I will just try and improve my time on a 5K but I also don't want to shy away from the challenge, I'm still undecided.

15 Months

Max and Kate had their 15 month check-up Wednesday. They are healthy and small. The doctor wants me to have the home nurse that worked with us when they were newborns to come evaluate Kate since she is so tiny and just a touch behind developmentally with her gross motor skills, ie: walking. She stressed that she is not terribly worried but that it wouldn't hurt. I am also not too worried; she is progressing and enjoys pushing her walker around and walking while holding your hands. Dr. Ravi said that due to her size and lack of muscle tone it is logical that she is a bit behind since you need strength to do so. I am still in my mind adjusting for their age given they were 8 weeks early. I know Kate will get there!

I think Phil and I just make peanuts! They are healthy, happy and progressing and that is what matters.

Kate:
Weight: 17 pounds 6 ounces, less than 3rd percentile (pretty much not on the charts)
Height: 29.75", 9th percentile
Teeth Count: 3 on top, 2 on bottom





I think we have a bookworm. Makes my reading heart pitter-patter. I was making dinner and glanced over at them and she was laying down and "reading". So sweet.

She says mama, dad, yes, yeah, and just this morning waved bye-bye to Phil. I think her thumb-sucking is interfering with her speech since it is usually in her mouth and therefore she doesn't have too much to say. She will babble but not as much as Max. She still loves to cuddle, being perfectly content in your arms and as such she will sit and cry, shriek and wail when she cannot be held; like when I am changing Max, making dinner, whatever. It can get quite grating on my nerves and ear drums. Apparently she forgets how to move when she cries and will just sit until you come and get her. Now she is not always like this but when she wants to be held nothing else will do. Bottom-line, we love her and she is a peach.

Max:
Weight: 20 pounds 3 ounces, 3rd percentile
Height: 30.5", 25th percentile
Teeth Count: 4 on top, 2 on bottom



He says mama, daddy, cracker and lots of baby gibberish. He is constantly on the go. He steals toys from Kate and when we return them to her he is heartbroken. Clearly he doesn't understand the whole sharing concept but rather pure entitlement. He will take her cracker, drink, toys, etc. whatever she has, he wants. Not that he is a bully, he just sincerely thinks he needs whatever she has. He is happy and will run into your outstretched arms for a hug and then go on playing again.



Max loves to imitate his dad. We have a few cheapy stethoscopes and the kids love to play with them. Max will put it around his neck and walk around, same thing with Phil's ties, he also loves to carry random things around and push anything.

They both LOVE their dad, I think it is safe to say that Phil has secured favorite parent status right now. It might have something to do with the fact that every night when he comes home he devotes the last half hour or so before their bedtime to play, daddy-style. They wrestle, play "roar!" (chasing them around the house roaring and tickling upon capture), flips and tricks on our bed and much more. They eat it up and when he walks in the door they both cry for him, Phil of course relishes his rock star status.



They are still taking two naps and sleeping well at night, Max has started waking between 5 and 5:30 every morning. This is not okay! He just sits there and wails. This morning I gave him his sippy of milk in bed and then back to bed myself. I violated the cardinal dental rule of not giving your kids milk/juice to drink in bed! I am still trying to figure it all out.

The Park

Max & Kate finally are able to enjoy the park. I have taken them so many times prior and we never stayed long since they didn't like to swing and didn't like the dirt.

Now they love it! Since Max is walking and Kate knows how to climb stairs they have a lot of fun toddling around the play gym.







Don't you want to eat her? Sorry, she's mine.



Kate's hair after the slide. Awesome.



They love the slide, Kate squeals all the way down and we go again and again.

1st Quarter Break in Pictures

Phil worked hard for 15 weeks at school and we were excited when he had a two week break between quarters. We enjoyed time with family, visiting Stephanie in California, Reed in Prescott and over the holiday the rest of Phil's family in Mesa.

We had a wonderful time with Stephanie and her family and made good use of our five days in California. We went to Big Bear Lake and walked around. It is gorgeous and I certainly wouldn't mind a cabin on the lake.





We made quick friends with the ducks as they snitched crackers from us.



We were cold as it was windy.



Another day we drove to Apple Valley and visited several apple orchards. The leaves were breathtaking and I am already planning to come out again next fall to take Steph's family portraits here.



This was one of the apple orchards we visited.



My apple babies. We chose to pick Granny's.





Cousin Matthew was so excited and his method of apple picking was swiping the branches with his stick. It worked.



One one of our last days it was raining all. day. long. The boys golf game got rained out so we drove to LA instead and visited their Science Museum. It was crowded since all of LA was there to get out of the rain and house on a Saturday. Matthew loved it and Max & Kate will enjoy it more when they are older.





School is back in full swing now, has been for almost 3 weeks. Phil is studying hard and we are back in the rhythm of daddy being gone most of the day. The kids love when he comes home as dad is way more fun than mom right now. I am sure they are tired of my face by the time six o'clock rolls around. It's okay, sometimes I am tired of theirs too, or rather ready for them to go to bed. Phil is the favored parent right now and we really enjoyed having our daddy home for a few uninterrupted weeks.

Appreciation

It's 5:30pm. After one Baby Einstein DVD, a few crackers here and there to keep the peace, 4 grabby hands each time I open the refrigerator, two little bodies underfoot as I step around the stove crafting a delicious dinner. At least in my mind it is worthy. I spoon hot pasta and cauliflower in a roasted garlic sauce* and chop it up for little mouths. I serve two hungry babes and turn to dish myself a bowl.

Two obstinate children are refusing my offering. Pasta dropping to the floor, legs kicking and verbal protests. I concede and go to make a second offering; roasted sweet potatoes. Kate takes a few bites but for the most part I am denied. Again. Who said they could turn picky?

Defeated I go to make a lowly PB & J. Spread the peanut butter and smear the grape jelly. Cut the sandwich into eighths  and serve. I return to the table sure that my final efforts will be accepted. I glance back at them over a bite of pasta and see Max deconstructing his sandwich and the casualties lying messily on the floor.

My kitchen is a mess, my clean floor is no more, my patience is waining and the ungrateful urchins in my charge have won again. Whatever. I declare dinner over, strip them down and take them to the tub.

I give up. At least today...



*And don't smile smugly to yourself over my choice of dinner. We have had this dish before and they ate it without protest and they love cauliflower. I want to expose my kids to a varied diet, full of vegetables and flavor. Perhaps you could say I would like my children to appreciate their foodie mother and not develop a vanilla palate. All in due time.

Max Walks!

I have been negligent in keeping up with my children and recording their milestones as they happen. The first weekend of November Max started getting mighty brave with walking and he would take more than 4-5 steps at a time. Not one week later the sweet boy was really taking off! I have plenty of video but don't know how to transfer that here so imagine the cutest little waddle, belly leading and arms out for balance. Adorable!

Now Max is a confident walker. Gone are the wobbly arms and he is so fast! Also gone is my favorite crawl, we dubbed it his "Tarzan" crawl or gimpy. Thankfully that is recorded and preserved as well. My babies are growing up!

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving was spent with Phil's family. I made three pies; apple crumb, my favorite pecan and Phil's favorite lemon meringue. We enjoyed our few hours in Mesa with most of Phil's siblings, missing only Allison and her family. We certainly missed Grandma Gunnell who passed away this May and Grandpa Standage who passed away last September.

These two turkeys were all dressed up before we headed out to Mesa, I put Kate down to finish up some kitchen details and Max walked right over to her and plopped his tushy right next to her! Obviously I ran for the camera and just want to eat them right up!



Kate and Gramps Gunnell



Max enjoying his dinner. We did not eat turkey this year! Phil's mom & dad made a wonderful prime rib roast instead.



On our way home we stopped by the cemetery and saw Camden's grave. I want to make this a tradition for as long as we are in Arizona. I am so grateful for my three children and that we will have Camden in our arms again.

Family Portraits 2010

Do you ever think of your family, look at pictures of them; your kids, your sweetheart and just feel your heart swell with love? So much love that it almost hurts?

Goodness, that is what happens to me when I feast my eyes of the photos below and it happened time and time again as I was editing them and even now. I love when that happens. When the essence of your family has been captured and you can revisit those strong emotions all over again. That is what photography means to me, this is why it is so important and I cannot thank one of my dearest friends enough that she took time before her big move to Texas, with a sick baby in tow to capture my family. Thank you Liz for this gift. I love you.























It goes without saying how much I love my family, how grateful I am to be a mother to three incredible children and wife to a good man. Blessed is an understatement.