Creative Intelligence

Okay, so let's throw a little humor at this whole I'm-sad-because-my-baby-is-growing thing I've got going on.

With age, comes intelligence.

As seen here. Bare bottom? Find a diaper.
Need hands for crawling, but also need very important puzzle piece? Insert puzzle piece in mouth.
Hungry on the go? Again. The mouth thing.
Bored? Just play a copy cat game with Mommy, and laugh as she makes a fool of herself! (Went on a good 5 minutes before I broke out the camera.)


And finally, perhaps a splinter of hope for me that she's not running off to school any time soon...another cure for boredom: Chasing that crazy light on the floor. (Also went on for a good 5 minutes before I broke out the camera.)

At Year's End

This whole walking thing has hit me kind of hard. Okay, more than kind of. Kind of like I have laid in bed crying two separate nights at the thought of how quickly 10 months has passed. These moments are amazing, and I do all I can with every breath I have to hold onto them. They too, after all, will soon be part of a past I mourn.
But, oh. Where did my teeny tiny baby go? With her itsy bitsy tummy to kiss. And her rare, soft, unintentional movements. And then her first signs of affection. And then her soft, simple cuddle. She's still tiny. For a walking person and all. But, now she's bigger. Now her kissable tummy can walk right away from me. Now the cuddling is on her terms, when she's not busy toddling around and discovering things. I find myself watching her crawl with tears in my eyes, for fear it will be the last time she scoots across the room that way to come give me a kiss.

It's so different with Keelyn. When Hailey reached each milestone, I felt nothing but blind excitement. She was my first born. Everything she did was first. This time, I appreciate the milestones for what they are...an amazing moment in Keelyn's life is one that I celebrate, but it is also a moment that closes the door on who she was just a blink of an eye before that.

Do I depress you? Are you screaming at me, telling me to look at the bright side...my baby is walking, for heaven's sakes? I hear you. Loud and clear. But she's my baby. And she's in a hurry through my life.

I just went back and read a post from January 8 last year. Here is part of what I wrote:

There were so many moments like the potty training that I wished away too quickly with Hailey. The pregnancy, the painful newborn nursing, the night time wakings. For her first 9 months of life, she took about 3-4 naps a day, and at least half of them were in my arms or curled up next to me in bed or on the couch. I couldn't wait for the day that she would take a nice long nap in her own bed so I could have a moment to myself...to get dishes done, or fold laundry. Why? Now, I would give anything to convince her to curl up on my lap and sleep for a few peaceful hours where I could watch her take each little breath. I remember being so eager to have her learn to walk. Such an exciting time...and I was so proud of her. I'm not saying I wish she was a two year old crawler...but that is just one more piece of infancy that will never come back. With each step she takes, she is further from the tiny little baby that I carried. Kids are constantly moving forward, and at the risk of sounding cliche, if you don't appreciate the moment in all its detail as it happens...it's gone.

A few months ago I received an article written by Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columnist and Author, via email, with her reflections on her life that were similar to the feelings I have expressed here. The time is limited, it's precious, and when it's gone, you often realize that things happened too fast. It's easy to get so caught up in the act of getting in the car to go to the store, that you don't appreciate how cute a toddler is as she stops to pick up mulch and put it in her pocket, or to point out a bird in the sky. She has a thing or two to teach me about living in the moment, even if it takes 20 minutes (literally) to leave the house. Quindlen cited a memory of a picnic...a picture she had of her kids sitting on a blanket enjoying lunch...she wished she could remember more about the day than the act of eating...like, what was the conversation, and which way did the wind blow.

It might be a little late for a 2008 resolution, but I'll play the mommy card and say I haven't had time to think about it until now. Ironic when you consider what this blog is about. My resolution is to allow the moments to pass on their own time, rather than rushing through them...for Hailey's sake, and for my own. I am going to appreciate the process and bonding experience that is potty training (and other such events), rather than wishing away the diapers for the sake of convenience. I am going to spend my sleepless nights aware of the miracle that is this new baby, and marking my memory with what it feels like to have her with me. When she is born those humps I worked over with Hailey won't be as intimidating. I won't spend time worrying about whether or not the nursing will get less painful...it will. I won't spend time worrying about whether or not she will ever talk...she will. I won't wish away the naps she takes that immobilize me for 30 minutes...they are as rare in life as she. I will spend these last few weeks that I have "alone" with Hailey, appreciating the time we have. I will appreciate the knowledge I have gained from experiencing this once before, and allow the moments to imprint my life to the fullest, as I know they will go.

If we all just pretend I haven't totally lost my mind a few times about our napping issues, I think I have done a pretty good job of sticking to my promise to myself. And to be fair, I haven't stressed about the sleep stuff nearly as much as I did with Hailey. You have no idea. And sleep is important, so I think I have stressed about it as little as a person in my shoes with my parenting ideas and my particular baby can. So there. I love her, and I know I can look back with an honest heart and say that I have done what I can to help guide her to a happy, healthy little baby life. I have also relished in the time I have had to cuddle with her, even on days when the dishes piled high...and appreciated each little decadent nanosecond in a way I didn't know I should with Hailey. So I've learned something.

Yet it still went too fast. A year ago I was just looking forward in my life to a time when I would have two babes to love, unaware of what that life would be like. Now, looking back, I see that life is one that I have absolutely loved, and I can't believe how fast it is changing. Hailey's changes are more subtle now, as she gets a bit older and more independent. But they are there. When I think of who she was the day Keelyn was born, I can't believe what an awesome big sister and little person she has become. Keelyn's changes are obviously more apparent, and that's what brought me here. To this stunning feeling of sadness at the year's end.

I have relished in the cuteness of baby. I have allowed myself to be overcome with laughter at the silliness of toddler. Of course there are things I would go back and change if I could, but I think I lived consciously. I appreciated the moments. And they are still gone.

Next week, I have to finish the project I started right before the holidays...finding a preschool for Hailey. Seriously. Does it get more depressing than that? (In an exciting, new, cool thing my kid gets to do, kind of way, of course.) (But still. Depressing.)

Keelyn's first steps!

She started taking a few steps here and there a while ago, but on Christmas morning, things got more interesting...we finally caught some video today!

Christmas Wrap-up

Just a few quick photos of the kids from Christmas. We had a really great day with family, and enjoyed the excitement with the kids so much.

Hailey leaving treats for Santa on Christmas eve. A buckeye and milk for Santa, and 9 carrots for the reindeer. The first thing she did on Christmas morning was check to see that the treats had been eaten.The girls. Matching pajamas were their gift from us to open Christmas eve...we decided to adopt that tradition from a number of our friends.Hailey enjoying many of her gifts as she opened them. Keelyn climbing the pile of presents. She did eventually get to opening and playing with everything, but she is the perfect age for appreciating a good pile of boxes covered in sparkly stuff, regardless of what's inside.
The family...Merry Christmas!

T'was the night before the night before Christmas

On the eve of Christmas eve, Andrew told me he had to go out for drinks with some guys from work to discuss "business." I was PISSED. Business. The night before the night before Christmas. Business that couldn't wait. Business that required drinking at a bar with "the guys" while I stayed home with our sick baby (yes, once again, bless her tiny little heart).

To say I gave him a hard time about going out would be an understatement. I complained, I negotiated other plans, and I pretty much coated every comment I made for the evening with a thick, sticky layer of guilt. I am VERY good at this, you see.

He wouldn't budge. This was something he HAD to do.

Oh, and he was going to be LATE.

He SHOWERED and gave me a big kiss on his way out the door, and asked me to leave the Christmas lights on in the living room when I went to bed. A little weird, but okay.

I sat up and watched television for about an hour, and then decided to stop feeling sorry for myself, and just get some rest. I fell asleep.

***

If you know me, you know my brother has been in the Peace Corps for the past couple of years, working in Bolivia. Since he left in August of 2006, we have seen him one time. That was September 2007. We missed him every day. His plan has always been to travel around South America after his service for a couple of months before coming home. He promised me that he would be home by the end of February 2009 for Keelyn's first birthday, his new little niece he'd never met. I have been counting down the days.

***

I open my eyes to a bright light and a clock that reads past midnight. A camera in my face. My husband standing before me, apparently unaware that his bed had been made for him outside on the back porch due to his lack of consideration for his dear wife who just wanted some time with her family this Christmas.

Then I kind of lost my mind. Watch here...and see a bunch of us all losing our minds...

As you can see, we were all SHOCKED. Proven here, in this post full of cute kiddie videos I thought was such a nice Christmas present since he was going to be all "traveling" and "unavailable" over the next few months. Turns out Coop has known he was coming home at Christmas for about 8 months now...and SO HAS ANDREW! They were so sneaky!

I guess my husband knows a thing or two about redeeming himself. And maybe about lying? Hmmm...

We have had such a wonderful few days surprising people, and visiting and just getting back to our normal family dynamic. As you can see, Hailey immediately decided to catch her uncle up on the details of her life over the past couple years...starting at 6:00 in the morning when she woke up to find him on her couch! She is IN LOVE, and Keelyn thinks he's pretty cool, too (she's actually about the age Hailey was when Cooper first left). Andrew is happy to finally have his other Man Person around, and I am just ecstatic to have my baby brother back.

More on Christmas to follow, but really not much beats the present we got this year at midnight on Christmas eve eve.

Merry Christmas to you there in Bolivia...

...and to anyone else who might enjoy these videos...

Cooper, we decided since we can't mail you anything this year, we'd send you some well wishes via the blog. A little talent show extravaganza, if you will, with a Christmas theme of course. Hailey wanted to sing to you, and Keelyn, well, we forced her to show off her almost-walking skills just to keep you up to speed. By the time you get here in a couple of months, she'll be doing it all on her own. Anyway, we miss you and love you and wish you were here. Hope this makes you feel a little bit like you are.

First, a little Jingle Bells silliness:


Next, a conversation with Grandma...nothing really special about this other than the fact that you get to see Grandma. They were having a cute conversation that ended promptly when I turned the camera on. I should have made them sing. Not sure what I was thinking, really.


Here comes Keelyn, down the hall!


Hailey singing Rudolph...


And finally, what really just amounts to silliness, but worth sharing:


Love you, Coopie. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Tour Continued

So I did a Christmas traditions post a couple of weeks ago, and then I found out that BooMama was hosting this super cool Christmas Tour. My traditions post is linked on the tour, but in looking through other homes, I realized there are a few more photos I want to share, just to remember exactly what Christmas in our home looks this year. This is our first ever Christmas at home, and we love it.



This is the front door. I bought this wreath 4 years ago in Blowing Rock, North Carolina and loved it. Then it took me this long to figure out how to get it to fit on our door to hang properly. I am so excited it's finally up! I added a little greenery from our tree, and a bow to Christmas it up a bit.
Some of the ornaments I mentioned before, hanging on the front porch.

Our nativity, also one of my favorite things about Christmas. Mom gave this to us when we were first married, and we love it. I actually have the kings looking down on the scene from the next ledge up on our shelves, but here they are for the sake of the picture.

The mantle in the day. The gold balls are awesome. I found them this year at TJ Maxx. Just a big old box of gold balls to place about. TONS of sparkle all day long.

And finally, our dining room table! No table setting looking all fancy like a lot of people have. It's reserved instead for gifts, as if they were under the tree, a certain 9 month old would have them all opened and strewn about in a flash. Plus, they look really pretty all wrapped and decorative among our snow globes and such. I love it. On Christmas morning, they'll go under the tree for opening, and the table will be free for dinner!

Oh, and I finally got our Christmas cards out, so here is the photo we used... two little cuties!

Okay, well thanks for checking out the rest of my "tour" and helping me embed these memories. Merry Christmas!

Warning

I've firmly decided to just take as long as necessary to slowly ease Keelyn into a napping routine, regardless of how many weeks or months it takes. I'm modifying my favorite method that worked with Hailey, which involves staying in the room for comfort while baby falls asleep. I tried this a while back with Keelyn, and she just cried anyway, but I am happy to report that she seems to be old enough now to get comfort from my presence alone.

This means I am staying in her room, and for the past few days right beside her crib, until she is completely asleep. Today that took 30 minutes.

You might think that sounds boring, but truly it's endlessly amusing, watching her work herself down. I think it's a gift she's giving me right now. She monkeys around her crib like nobody's business, and does everything she can think of to get my attention, as I remain still.

Today, she was working on pulling her bumper off the slats of the crib. Meanwhile, I was thinking we should probably get to taking that thing off. Something about the way she was wedging her face between the bumper and the crib sides just screamed danger. Oh, and the placement of her foot on the top of it as she reached for a picture above her bed... probably not so great. I don't know, she seemed to think it was funny.

Previously I wasn't concerned with this, as she rarely napped successfully in the crib anyway, and at night, she goes right to sleep within minutes of me laying her down.

Anyway, she dug around enough to find a tag that I didn't realize was there, tucked away in the folds of the bumper on the outside of the crib. I watched as she played with it for about 10 minutes... taking regular breaks to come jump and holler in my face. Finally, she got it. She pulled that tag right off.

I promptly removed it from her hands, and here's what it read:

!WARNING
To prevent entanglement or strangulation injury:
Remove bumper when child can sit up unaided or can pull to a standing position.

And, done.

Poll: Letters to Santa

So if you are a crazy person who keeps absolutely everything that might be at all sentimental, then you will understand this dilemma. If not, go on your merry way, please, you non-feeling, unemotional, dead-hearted freak.

Have you seen the commercials on television for Macy's where they advertise this big old red mailbox that can be found in the stores? You drop in your letter to Santa, and they deliver it right to the big guy, and also make some sort of donation. In the commercial there are twinkling lights as a very happy young girl sends her letter to the North Pole. Hailey is impressed.

Today, we go to Macy's. She sees the box. "Mommy, maybe we can bring my letter tomorrow morning and I can mail it to Santa!" "Well," I say, "you know your letter can get to Santa in our mailbox too...the postman will take it to him." She thinks for a minute about this and says, "No, I think we can bring it tomorrow morning, okay."

Herein lies the dilemma. My plan...she can "mail" her letter on Sunday. This way the "mailman" can come get it later in the day and deliver it to "Santa" that night, so that the next day when she checks, it will be gone. "Santa" will hold on to said letter until Hailey is ridiculously older, and then she will be very happy that happened, because it will be so cute, and she'll love it.

Or maybe not. Maybe she'll forever wish that her letter had actually gone wherever all the letters to the North Pole go every year. I don't know. Plus, there is the whole excitement of putting it in that big red box. Damn you, Macy's.

Now, I can clean out my house with the best of them. I can get rid of sweaters and socks and throw away old papers and broken stereos. But this stuff I can't part with. I have stacks of pictures Hailey has colored just because throwing them away seems malice and horrible. I might want to look at them one day. She'll never do one like that again. The days are fleeting.

Silliness, I know. It's a deep rooted issue for me... for another post. I know I'm over analyzing... as I do everything... also a deep rooted issue... also another post. But this is her first letter to Santa, really. I should keep it, right? I should discourage the Macy's thing, and steal it from our mailbox, right?

Your thoughts? Where are your kids' letters to Santa going?

Mommy, what is that?

Her: Mommy, what is that?

Me: What is what?

Her: That! What is that tractor?

Me: I didn't see it. I guess it's a tractor.

Her: Oh. What's it doing?

Me: What do you think it's doing?

Her: It's working. Mommy, what you think it's working on?

Me: Maybe it's building something.

Her: Yeah. Maybe a barn for the horsies to sleep in. I think so. And then they will run around and around. Mommy, you see those horsies runnin'?

***

Her: Mommy, what you say?

Me: I was just talking on the phone.

Her: Oh, what you talking about?

Me: I was talking to the doctor.

Her: Oh, what he say? Mommy, I have to go to the doctor?

Me: Don't worry about it, Hailey. You don't have to go.

Her: Oh, Kiki have to go?

Me: No.

Her: Oh, who have to go to the doctor, Mommy? We going to the doctor now?

***

Her: I see Mommy, Daddy, and Haya. Mommy, where's Kiki?

Me: Keelyn wasn't born yet then.

Her: Oh, she in your tummy?

Me: Nope, not yet.

Her: Where is she?

Me: She's just not born yet.

Her: Not born yet? What you talking about, Mommy? Why you not tell me?

***

Her: Mommy, where you driving?

Me: Home.

Her: Oh, we go this way? Mommy, which way is home?

Me: This way.

Her: Oh. Mommy, we gonna be in the neighborhood soon?

Me: Yes, soon.

Her: Mommy, we there yet? Which way is the neighborhood?

Me: Not yet, soon.

Her: Oh. We go that way, Mommy? Mommy, what you lookin' at?

***

Her: Mommy, I can't see your hair. Where is your hair?

A boat that could not float

Hailey filled her weekend with more Christmas fun, and a few things I thought I'd share. First of all, her letter to Santa. She wrote a very nice letter, allowed me to fill in the blanks where Santa might not be able to read her handwriting (wink, wink), and then decorated the whole card with stickers and drawings. Totally adorable. She has since also painted him a picture, and decorated multiple things that Santa might like to see when he comes here.

The letter still needs to be mailed to the North Pole.

So, what's on her list for Santa this year? In order as she listed things... new sunglasses... lummie sticks... hula hoop... Madagascar picture (not sure what she means, but I am confident she has a VERY clear idea in her own mind, and Santa better get his you-know-what in gear and figure it out)... boat that could not float... another boat that could... dress up clothes... and finally, a ballet book (we had one from the library that we actually renewed the maximum number of times AND owe late fees on, so he might find that last one to be a good investment).

Thank you, Santa. Get busy!

We also made this gingerbread house. The first I think I have ever made that did not involve a milk carton and graham crackers. Hello Mrs. Corzine, you taught me so many valuable lessons.
And, in case you were wondering what baby Kiki was doing in all this Christmas madness, well, she was fighting off the gift that keeps on giving... RSV.
At least it started as RSV. After a few weeks of that, it became a fever and ear infection. That meant Amoxicillin, which apparently meant diarrhea in droves, which inevitably meant a yeast infection. Sound fun yet? Not enough for you?

Okay, well you're in luck... because then we threw in a rash for her whole body that may or may not be, "and we cannot rule anything out, but next time she needs antibiotics we'll keep her in the pediatrician's office for a good hour in case of anaphylaxis!" because it probably is an allergic reaction to the Amoxicillin itself!! OH BOY!

Yes, her little body was just exploding with holiday cheer! After five visits to the pediatrician in three weeks, two of which involved close to two hours in the office, we gleefully left Sunday morning with a shot of some super antibiotic, and a nod to the drug gods who created something she is not allergic to, and does not cause diarrhea, but does clear up the ear infection, and see you later RSV, because we rode you until you just couldn't ride any more! Now sleeping peacefully, thank you very much.

On her list to Santa: lungs that work, a white bottom, a back without welts, an ear without an ache, and a live-in pediatrician who works for gingerbread.

Cars, Mermaids, Lions, and TINKERBELL!!!

Each time we take Hailey to some kind of event for the first time, I turn into a completely mushy ball of sap. I feel tears welling up in my eyes. I feel my heart beat a little faster. The adrenaline pumps for the both of us.

Disney on Ice was no exception. Go on, laugh. I was sappy at Disney on Ice. It doesn't help any that half of the Disney ballads can easily bring me to tears while singing along in my car. In other words, I came into it with no hope for avoiding sappiness. And apparently, I was a rather sticky ball of sap, as Hailey clung to my body like the lives of the world depended on it.

I mean she clung in a way that would put the jaws of life to shame. We were one. And not in that romantic I-love-cuddling-and-bonding-with-my-kids kind of way. It was more like she implanted herself in my body, and I couldn't move so much as to inhale air for breathing and living and things vital to my well-being, much less could I talk to her in a way that might calm her spirits enough to see the big picture and know no fear.

It started out great. We arrived insanely early, and waited with great anticipation of what was to come. "Where's Tinkerbell, Mommy," she asked me 648 times, "Oh, I think she's just getting on her skates maybe, or maybe she's talking to Minnie, don't you think, Mommy?"

When the show began, Hailey sat cross legged in her adult sized seat next to me with a smile on her face. She was one of the girls. Just watching a show. Just enjoying the music and excitement. Mickey and Minnie were waving directly at her, and her alone...and she was waving back to them like a beauty queen after her eighth espresso.

Then Mickey's car broke down, and a tow truck had to come fix it. I know this, because I was watching the show... not my daughter. I tell you this, because it explains why I have no idea how what happened next, happened.

Anyway, the tow truck was loud. Clank, clank, clank, BOOM!!! And Hailey was in my lap.

That was that.

No exaggeration, it took her less than a half a second to go from her seat beside me, to a position that involved somehow having her legs wrapped around my entire waist, arms around my neck, head under my hair, and shaking so profusely that Mickey himself might have been worried down there on the ice. For the next ten minutes or so, her eyes crept through my hair, peering around my neck to see if that truck was gone. "Where's Tinkerbell, Mommy," she asked me again, "She comin' out soon?"

She took her time, that Tink, but thankfully, she did come out, and she did not disappoint.

When Tinkerbell finally graced the ice, Hailey was beaming. She couldn't believe it. "Look, Mommy, that's Tinkerbell. She looks very pretty! I love all the fairies. Mommy, you see the fairies. Mommy, where they goin'? Mommy, what they doin'? Mommy, they are so pretty. This is the best ice skating show ever!"

She was waving and clapping and singing. Still from my lap. But my sappy butt liked it that way. It was awesome. For her it was completely magical... completely real. And for so many reasons, so it was for me.

Oh, Ho! The Holly!

When it comes to blogging, the holidays mean one thing for sure: Way too many stories to tell and way not enough time to tell them in. This means something else for sure: Way too many pictures to share.

Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of picture posts. I like seeing them on other people's blogs, but for my own record keeping purposes, I'm a bigger fan of the one or two token images that capture the essence of a moment, accompanied by some good verbiage to thicken it up. My love for words and pictures kind of come in as a tie at the gold medal level of I LOVE THEM BOTH AND COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM, OH MY!!, but this blog acts as a great outlet for me, and I know that in years to come, I will really value the stories told through descriptive lettering, all grouped nicely together to form words that illustrate my take on the most dear things in this life.

That being said, sometimes pictures cover more ground, and get me caught up to current so that I can think about writing next time. And Lord knows, I have to keep this thing current, or my whole life might just unravel before my sleep deprived eyes. So, on with some pictures...and maybe a word or two later...I think you can follow my theme...

This year, to save money and also to give something a little more personal than the token $15 gifts we search for each year for the large group of family and friends we exchange gifts with, we (and when I say "we" I mean "Andrew") made a really great dressing recipe. (In case you don't know, Andrew is an excellent chef). We bottled it up, and wrapped in different ribbons with a label I laid out.

Hailey has wanted a pink Christmas tree since she first saw one back in October when decorations emerged in local stores. I totally recognize that pink trees are the orange shag carpet of the 2000's, but she got it. In ten years it will be even tackier, and I'm guessing she's still gonna love it. It will be her own tradition.
She got to decorate it with a few special princess ornaments she picked out, and she has found other small ornaments in a few of the doors to her advent house so far this month.
Every year my mom's neighborhood hosts a really great Christmas party for the kids, and we always go. Here is Hailey walking with my grandma to the circle where the festivities took place. If you look really hard, you can see the horse-drawn carriage in the background we got to ride in as well...but that's not why I like the picture...
This is the closest we have gotten to Santa this year, but pretty good, no? Hailey even walked by him to pick a treat out of his bag all by herself! She also likes to stand in the distance and wave and blow kisses to him at the mall...yesterday he blew one back and I think her heart skipped a beat.
Then we went back to my mom's to bake Christmas cookies...one of my favorite traditions of the season. Hailey wanted to help with every part.
You should have seen the amount of flour on the floor and on her after this whole thing. Mom actually took her outside and brushed her with a broom!
Meanwhile, Keelyn got friendly with the nutcracker. She crawled right up to him squealing and giddy until she got right there, and then she just sat face to face a bit, and stared him down.
Here are all the girls decorating the cookies at the end of the day. It was so nice to have my grandmother in town for things this year.
Hailey was extremely meticulous about her decorating choices...
...and quite proud of her finished products.
Here are the babes with their great grandma. They adore her.
Our tree...on a table this year to keep the little one safe. Mounted with bright orange ratchet straps, if you must know.
The mantle.
The outside of the house. (You can't really see them, but this year we have glass ornaments hanging from the eve as well, and in the day time, they look really pretty.)
And finally, meet Elfie. My mom gave us the most awesome book at the beginning of the month, called Elf on the Shelf. It's a fantastic kid's story with great illustrations, about an elf who lives in your home for the month and watches you all day long, starting from a spot on the mantle. Then he flies to Santa each night to give a report, and the next morning, when he arrives back home, he lands in a different place. So, each morning now when Hailey gets up, she immediately runs downstairs to find Elfie (that's the name she gave him), and tell him good morning. It is so much fun, and has quickly become one of our favorite parts of celebrating the magic of Christmas with her...I highly recommend it to those with kids, as it's a tradition for years to come!

And now there's more...click here to continue our Christmas tour!

Family Photos

A few weeks ago, Wendy did a family shoot for us. (Keelyn just turned 9 months old, and we do the kids at newborn, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months anyway.) It was a bit difficult getting Keelyn to look at the camera, much less smile...and equally difficult to get Hailey to flash a smile that didn't look like she'd stuck her finger in a socket. Nonetheless, she got some great ones, so I just wanted to share. It's so awesome that she is able to be back behind the camera again. Enjoy!