Christmas

Christmas has come and gone again (sort of...lasts 12 days you know). Hard to believe. This was the girls' third Christmas and I can now say that each Christmas has been better than the one before (a trend I am hoping to keep up for the next umpteen years).

We began the season by taking our last pre-Hannah Kate trip. We headed to Chattanooga the week before Christmas which was particularly exciting with a new niece to see. Mark and Teela's daughter Lily was born on November 1 and this was the first time we got to see her. The girls were excited by the new baby but getting her confused with this "baby sissy" person they've been hearing a lot about. All in all it was a fun trip.

We came home on Christmas Eve and met my parents here in St. Louis. They had been up in Wisconsin visiting my sister (who also just had a baby --October 31) and then came down to spend this week with us. Again, a good time was had by all.

Mary Jane even worked up the courage to make cookies with the girls

To say they loved it would be the understatement of a lifetime. I think it's safe to say "decorating" was their favorite part. I use the term "decorating" somewhat loosely here. What I mean is that Mary Jane put frosting on all the cookies and the girls licked all the cookies while they put equal amounts of sprinkles on the floor, and themselves, somehow magically missing the cookies.....messy yes, fun yes, edible?...ehhh

Saying "cheese"

Here's a picture of the girls with their baby cousin. They took to her really fast which gives us hope for the upcoming arrival this March.

It took the girls a while to get into the whole unwrapping thing but this is the first year where they clearly got it. Emma Jane in particular really took off. She got to the point where she just started tearing into gifts regardless of where they were or who they were for.

The girls also got their first tricycles...they loooooooove them

They also really love ornaments...especially when they are hung on low branches...and can be gotten off. We eventually gave up on trying to stop them from taking ornaments off the tree and just got out the hot glue gun and glued all our ornaments to the tree. No really. Do you have any idea how bad melting fake tree limbs smell? Pretty bad. We aren't going to get that stink out of our house till next Christmas. Oh well...good excuse to buy new ornaments.

(you do know I'm joking right....Mary Jane thinks you might not...but I think you're smarter than that)

P: Yes, I need sleep...but this book is just too good to put down

P: They may be magnets...but they sure look like cookies....I wonder....

So...huh.....the words are blue down here. Guess they are just sad all the fun is over. Don't worry words...there is more fun coming, 2011 is just days away and we have all sorts of crazy good times planned for you...you will get to talk about a whole other child...a girl by the way...I'll let you guess the name.

Merry Christmas

The long night...

December 5th was Parker and Emma Jane's second second birthday. We didn't do too much this year, but did mark the day with some cupcakes which they thoroughly enjoyed. They are growing up so fast. They can sing the entire ABC song, count to ten (with help), and I personally think are pretty flippin smart. I am constantly amazed by them.

I know she looks unhappy... but she really wasn't.

Many people have asked me if they know there is a baby coming... and I think they know as much as they can. They know there is a baby in Mommy's belly and they know its going to be their sister. They look at the ultrasound pictures and know its a baby- but that is about it!

Speaking of the baby girl, we are almost 26 weeks in. For those of you who were in our lives when the girls were born- alarm bells should be going off in your head. Tomorrow night is The Night- the night my water broke last time. This week has been a hard week for me. Building up to this point, fear has slowly overtaken me and has hit me full force this week. I feel this sense of impending doom that I can't possible prepare for. I have done what I can- we have groceries, the house is clean, Christmas presents bought and wrapped, emergency plans in place- but there is nothing else I can do. I have been to the Dr. 1000 times and both have assured me what I am feeling (terror) is normal and to be expected. I went to the Dr. on Tuesday and they estimated the baby's weight as exactly what Emma Jane weighed when she was born. I almost threw up in the office. I feel preemptive guilt over what may happen to Emma Jane and Parker's lives if this child is born early. I feel guilt over knowing that if she is born early I won't be able to spend every waking second at the hospital this time like I did last. All this is to say- tomorrow will be a long day and I know, a long long night.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year we went to Cincinnati to visit Jason's grandparents. Jason's parents came in town too so we had a houseful.

Emma Jane and Parker with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Broge

Playing outside in the leaves

We went to the Cincinnati Children's Museum and had so much fun.

Parker played with this potato and blue bowl for forever. For some reason it was really exciting to her.

The piano was the hit of the weekend. We had so many beautiful concerts put on by Parker and Emma Jane. It made me thankful that we don't have a piano in our house.

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving and so great to be with family.

In the last few weeks, the girls had one of the most formidable experiences of their life. I took Parker and Emma Jane to get their haircut. It was more for Parker, but not wanting to be left out Emma Jane got a "haircut" too. I was really worried how they were going to act. But it turned out to be one of the best experiences they have ever had because they got.... candy. Their first real lollipop. We have since talked about this experience every single day. Parker told Jason about it when he got home that night. At least once a day now they ask to go get another haircut so they can get candy. Its strange to me they can remember things like that now. Whenever we drive past church now they say "church" or ask to go to the playground or the grocery store (where they ask to have a cookie) when we drive past. Anyway, here are some haircut pictures.