Christmas quatro

Trying to keep my mind sharp by practicing my Espanol in the title:)  This past weekend, my aunt was nice enough to bring my grandparents up here for Christmas.  We had a really good time visiting and eating lots of yummy food.  Luckily, I got a new workout tape that kicked my butt last night (plyometric lunges are the devil) so my clothes should still fit for Christmas number five on Christmas Eve!

Cole with Pop (my dad) and my grandparents. 

 Family picture...both my boys suffering from allergies :(

Cole with his new play food that he tries to feed to the dog (thanks Aunt Sue!) 

Slam dunk!

Christmas marathon

We have already done 2 Christmases so far with 4 more to go which is why I refer to it as a marathon!  The first Christmas I was a genius and left my camera at home.  I remembered the camera for Christmas #2 though with my grandparents in Houston last weekend so here a few of my favorites:

 Really tall with Uncle Ryan

 Uncle Ryan and Aunt Emily (aka "meme")

 

 Our best shot at a family photo with Mr. Wiggles

My cute matching grandparents! 

 Unwrapping presents.  I love how this picture caught him in mid-paper drop:)

A pillow pet bee!  Thanks Aunt Bay and Uncle David!

Thanksgiving pictures

Yes, I know it is almost to the one week countdown to Christmas and I am just posting Thanksgiving pictures.  Really there is nothing Thanksgiving-y about theses pictures, just that they were taken Thanksgiving day!

 Take 1: Girl with hand in mouth

  Take 2: Boy with hand in mouth

  Take 3: Hands out of mouths but with red eye...so close!

 Take 4: Cover up red eye!  Stylin'!

Christmas photos and ear tubes

I think I would be a skinny person if I opened a photo studio as I sweated my hiney off trying to take photos of these two over Thanksgiving.  Below is one of the silly photos where Cole is trying to remove cousin's bow that will be cute in a picture collage.  Christmas cards with a photo are already sitting on my desk to be mailed earlier than normal this year but sit on the desk they will stay for at least one more day. 

We are all pooped after a long night and early morning for Cole to have ear tubes inserted.  He has only had 4 ear infections over the last nine months which compared to most isn't that many but he had fluid last for 2 months this last time after taking several antibiotics, steriods and antihistamines (well, the medicine he swallows and doesn't gag and throw up).  He couldn't eat after 2 am this morning and was none to pleased being denied his organic pacifier at 3:30 am so we all got up.  The surgery thankfully was very short and went smoothly and after a 3 hour nap, Cole is running around like nothing happened.  Mama and Dada are not as perky as this parenting is rough!  Hopefully this will reduce the number of infections and get that fluid out quicker so that his hearing won't be impaired.  Thank you to everyone for your prayers!

 



A first!

We had our first experience on a coin operated ride at the mall with cousin a few weeks ago!  It was an ice cream truck in the mall that lasted surprisingly long compared to most other rides that last for 5 seconds.  Both of them thought it was the coolest thing ever!

Shoppin'

Here's some pictures I've been meaning to post for a while and haven't had a chance with our crazy schedule.  Be prepared for many back to back posts!  Everyone knows Cole is a big fella and pretty darn strong too.  We constantly work with him to "be nice" by using "nice hands" on the dog and everyone because his love pats can pack a wallop.  Most other kids get annoyed with him quickly when he tries to throw his weight around but not Miss Lizzie.  She's a year older and weighs less than Cole but she keeps him in line just like a future daughter-in-law should:).  I think they already look like a little married couple going to the grocery store!

A few weeks...

That's how long it's been since I posted which is horrible, I know, considering this is not only a blog to keep friends and family updated but as a "baby book" to look back on.  I had made the excuse of not posting considering most people want to see pictures, many of which have been the back of my active childs head, and not read the babbling of someone who hums the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song during the day.  Today I was pleasantly surprised to find several decent picutres from the last few weeks stored on my camera and have a couple in this post and maybe another post or two later today.  Many of you will be pleased to see that Cole actually owns clothing as many pictures I post here are of him in his diaper but, hello, it is in the upper 70s during Thanksgiving week!

 Mommy's big helper around the house.  He helps me hang up his clothes (aka take all the hangers out of the closet), take laundry out of the washer/dryer (aka through clean clothes on the floor), and sweep (aka through soil from the potted plant onto the floor to have an excuse to go get the broom).  Oh well, he stays out of trouble and I still get some chores done!

Going out to see cows in the country and getting a driving lesson from Dada. 

Trying to crawl into Baxter's bed... 

 Succeeding at crawling into Baxter's bed...

Wondering why Baxter wanted to go outside and not be in his bed anymore!