Parker's Baby Blessing

Yesterday we had Parker's baby blessing. Lots of family was able to come, and it was a special day for us. Here are some pictures of the festivities after church.

25 Things About Me

One of my friends tagged me on facebook to write 25 things about myself...I thought I would also post them here:

1. I knew, after my first conversation with Matthew, that I was going to marry him, even though he was dating someone else at the time.
2. I don't like ice cream.
3. Arizona still doesn't feel like home.
4. I can't eat left overs...something about the way food tastes when it's reheated is gross to me.
5. I miss living with Hannah and Brie.
6. I am always rearranging the furniture in my house.
7. I am a neat/clean freak.
8. I love to scrapbook.
9. I am constantly changing my mind...hence #6.
10. I am not naturally maternal. Mothering has been a learned behavior for me, and I have a long way to go.
11. There is no one that makes me laugh, even to this day, the way Molly used to.
12. I love all things Jane Austen.
13. I am an insomniac.
14. I love balsamic vinegar with just about everything.
15. I am still madly in love with my husband after 6 years of being together.
16. I've had one poem and one prose piece published.
17. I wish my parents were still married.
18. I've always wanted to play the piano, but have no musical ability whatsoever.
19. I worry about EVERYTHING.
20. I am adopted.
21. I hate sticking to a schedule.
22. I love to cook and/or bake.
23. I want to travel the world someday.
24. My favorite thing to do, is to curl up in bed with my husband, and watch TV or a movie.
25. I love it when it rains.

Emma

Don't get me wrong, boys are great. I have two that I love very, very much. But there is just something so special about having a daughter. Maybe it's because I have two boys that I feel that way, I don't know. All I do know, is that this little girl has added so much to my life as a mother, and to our family as a whole. She has such a sweet disposition, most of the time :) She is naturally loving and affectionate, and is always hanging onto my legs and running up to me and giving me hugs and kisses. She loves to listen to music, and has the cutest little dance she does to her favorite songs. She is genuinely funny and almost always has a smile on her face. She is quick to forgive, especially her brother Aidan, who at the age of three, sometimes has a difficult time being loving to her. She follows him around and always wants to be where he is, even after a fight or the occasional wrestling match with him. She has an infectious laugh, which sometimes makes it hard to discipline her, but overall she has been an angel child, and we couldn't imagine our life with out her!

Also, as she has started to talk more, she has adopted an adorable language of her own, where most of the words that have a "K" in them, have been substituted with a "P." Here are some examples:

Milk= Milp
Parker= Parper
Book= Boop
Work =Worp
Park= Parp

Catch up

Over the last few weeks we have taken lots and lots of pictures of Parker, fun in the snow, and Aidan and Emma in various stages of cuteness. We have not taken lots and lots pictures of the trips to the emergency room, trips to the doctor's office, or the many trips to the pharmacy to pick up all of the medicine we have been on this last month. Whew, it makes me tired just writing about it! But we are all doing better now, knock on wood, and will hopefully stay healthier during this new year!

The Day They've Been Waiting For!

Aidan has been especially into Christmas this year. Or should I say, he's been really into Santa this year. He has accepted, without questions or inquires, that on a certain day in December, a large, jolly old fellow, all dressed in red, with a big white beard, is going to come to his house and bring him presents. For a kid that questions EVERYTHING, I was expecting to have to field questions like "who is Santa?" "why does he bring presents?" "Where's the north pole?" ect...but much to my surprise, there was nothing. Not one, single, solitary question about Santa at ALL. I guess he figures if some guy wants to bring him presents, and mom and dad are ok with it, than who is he to look a gift horse in the mouth, so to speak. It's amazing the blind faith that kids have. It's us grown ups that know that if something is too good to be true, than it probably is. But not my three year old! And because of that blanket acceptance of Santa and his enthusiasm for Christmas this year, I have had so much fun writing his letter to Santa with him, going to the mall to visit the big guy in person with him, decorating the tree with him, baking cookies and putting out carrots for the reindeer with him, and watching his face literally light up when he woke up this morning and saw what Santa had brought him. I love you Aidan, and I hope that for years to come you stay unaware and blissfully oblivious, so that every Christmas can be as wonderful as this one was!



On Christmas Eve, the kids place their stockings where they want Santa to leave their presents, and in the morning, this is what they wake up and find. Mom and Dad's presents are wrapped, under the tree.
Our Christmas tree (pretty self explanatory, I know!)


Aidan was very excited about his soccer ball, but was OVERJOYED that Santa actually brought him what he asked for: tracks for his trains. Even got some more magnetic trains AND a few motorized ones...he won't stop playing with them!

Emma, finally a smile with teeth, no eyes closed!!! She loved her Fisher Price piggy bank...she was even in her matching piggy pajamas!

Here Comes Santa Claus, Here Comes Santa Claus...

We braved the mall and took the kids to see Santa. Aidan was so excited I thought he was going to bust out of his skin.


Emma on the other hand, didn't really have any idea what was going on, but enjoyed getting out of the house, people watching, and playing at the mall play area after our visit with the man in red.

Week Two & Three

Here are some pictures of Parker taken at two and three weeks old. Matthew insisted on putting him in his reindeer hat, to be festive of course! It's amazing how fast they change, in just a week no less!