Our family of 4 Christmas & boy was it a good one!

For the first time in our 8 Christmas' together, this was the first year that we haven't traveled over the holiday. We've always said that once we have kids, we'll start staying home to make new traditions of our own, and that's exactly what we did this year. It was a fabulous day. Christmas through a kid's eyes is an amazing thing - Cal's excitement was priceless. Although he didn't quite get that it was Jesus' b-day (and not his) it was a day of celebration filled with love, fun, overwhelment (is that a word?), tears having to share B's toys, good food, good drinks, new traditions, and more.

Christmas started a little early w/ a visit from Grammie & Pa on their way to MT.

Cal checking out his new soccer ball.

All suited up and ready for soccer to start in January (aside from the rain boots)

Christmas Day. Cal's first look at all the goodies under the tree. first up, stockings. game time! Bennett getting a little help from dad. Cal opened the majority of B's presents so there's been a little confusion now on what's Bennett's and what's Cal's (Cal thinks it's ALL his)Suzie wanted to be gifted too. She stayed in this box for 20 minutes. After we finished Christmas morning at our house & nap time, it was off to Gram & Pop's for Christmas dinner.a drum/instrument set from Gram & Pop (thanks a lot guys...) and to prove we were there. Countdown is on, 361 days until Christmas 2012.

(Thanks mom for another year of adorable Christmas PJ's for the kids!!)

Merry Christmas

from our family to yours!

Pics

sitting is fun! visiting Gram at work to watch a Christmas play/sing-along

and there she is in all her glory, our Charlie Brown tree... we ended up having to put the tree in the play room (no ideal) since it was SO wide (& we did some serious thinning/trimming). Our poor tree looks bare but there are ornaments on it, they're just tucked back cause the ends of the branches weren't strong enough to hold them.

Leavenworth tree lighting

We braved the masses (and the cold) and went to the Leavenworth tree lighting with the kids this year. I hadn't been up to the little Bavarian neighboring town over the holidays in ages so it was fun to see it in all of it's glory. But I seriously can't believe how insane that place is this time of year. We went on a Sunday night thinking it wouldn't be too crazy... it was.

And if you need an little inspiration to make a trip to Leavenworth, maybe this video will help persuade you.

one of many Santas walking around. As we were leaving we saw another one and while we were walking away, Cal was yelled out, "I want a cho-cho train!"
lights out.

Yum yums & the first tooth

The plan was to start B on solids at 6 months but the poor kid was starting to look like he'd do just about anything for a nibble off of our food at dinner including escaping from his Bumbo so I gave in and we started the big guy on solids last week. With Cal, I couldn't wait. It was a milestone I was anxiously looking forward to. With Bennett, I think it was a little bit of denial that he was old enough to eat solids & laziness. Getting 1 kid fed is hard enough work (and our pediatrician is pretty insistent on waiting until 6 months)...

First up, rice cereal. Day 1 of rice cereal feeding = fail. Day 2-5 = yum yum.

Time to bust out the mini prep and start making some baby food.

Next up, carrots = YUMMY!And we just started sweet potatoes tonight, another hit.

And, after weeks of teething we have a tooth! It popped through yesterday (5.5 months). We tried to get a pic but Bennett doesn't want to show it off. Pic to come.
The guys. These 3 make me SO happy.

"I'm a hard worker!"

That's what Cal said to me as he came out of the play room dressed like this. He gets it from his daddy...

It's started.

Mobility.
And as you can see, Bennett's stoked (and I'm not ready). Gone are the days of putting him on a bed to hang out knowing he wasn't going anywhere, or Cal keeping his little toys out all over the floor. He's been rolling for a couple months, but in the last couple weeks he's started what I like to call "extreme rolling." He's figured out he can get to where he wants to go by log-rolling across a room and scooting, even if it means getting pinned under/against furniture. He's a man on a mission...