Milestones and Christmas Galore!

Well, we've had some BIG milestones today and I am MUD! Henderson is not only crawling, he is pulling up on furniture and he climbed the 2 steps that lead to our kitchen, dining room, and hallway - all by himself!!! He is only 7 months old!!!! What am I gonna do - I've got Wilson running around and now Henderson crawling FAST and he's discovered Daisy's dog food - which was always a favorite of Wilson's. Wilson wouldn't eat people food, but you can bet if things got quiet, you could always find him with a mouthful of dog food - Oh, and I just remembered, the other day at Ellen's house, we found Wilson drinking doggy style out of the water bowl - YUCK!!!! Here are some diaper shots of Henderson and you can see how thin he is, despite being a bottomless pit when it comes to food - he ate ALL day today!!!

My mom and dad arrived last night and brought forth many gifts - the children just couldn't wait, so we let them open presents before the Candlelight service at church last night. Wilson got the playhut and they have had a blast with it! Henderson wasn't interested in any "baby toys", only bags and paper and anything Emma Claire and Wilson had - I've coined him the squealer - he doesn't cry - EVER, but the boy can squeal like a greased pig when he wants something!

The children made Christmas sugar cookies - from SCRATCH today with my mom - and they turned out great, though I'm sure my kitchen didn't look great - but it was cleaned up by the time I got home, hallelujah!

I WILL NOT....

On Saturday, we went to a birthday party at Tumbling Tides for a friend of Emma Claire's. I ended up taking all 3 children by myself while Will tackled Wal-mart for some grocery shopping and last minute gifts. I think I got the raw end of th deal. The gym part of the party was fun, Wilson did his thing, Emma Claire participated and Henderson just crawled around, or got held by someone. THEN came the eating part - which is ALWAYS a nightmare with Wilson, we should have just left then, but for Emma Claire's sake, we stayed. Wilson didn't like the chips HE CHOSE, so he cried until he got another kind, Henderson decided he was hungry, so I held him with one hand and fed him a bottle with that SAME hand - don't ask, just be glad he's as small as he is, all the while I'm coralling Wilson back to his seat so he doesn't smash the birthday cake that he's discovered. He is now crying for CAKE CAKE!!!!! He gets some cake (one of the first ones, just to shut him up) and he begins eating it - not with a fork or spoon, but his fingers - so messy, but at least he's somewhat quiet, then he eats his ice cream with his fingers too. He has a capri sun, which he normally BEGS for, but he spots a bottle of water and wants this. There are no more bottled water, but he, being 2, doesn't understand and has a fit for water. I put Henderson over on the mat and take Wilson OUT at this point and have a "talk". Things got better at this point and just when I think I can take a sigh of relief, Emma Claire begins crying - someone just threw away her chips that she was saving to eat - WOW! This is very unlike her, so I do manage to talk to her a minute and she's fine. Next came present-opening time and it was uneventful, thank you Jesus and we leave -- I will NOT take all 3 by myself to a party again - (yea right).

After the party we went to Will's parents house and let the children play outside while the weather was still WARM - (baby t's COLD outside now!!!!) Ya'll, I got on the trampoline with them and did 2 BACK FLIPS!!! Yes, this nearly 30 mother of 3 did 2 back flips and I'm not even sore this morning!!!! I had so much fun jumping with Emma Claire and Wilson, they got a kick out of their mommy doing such fun things on the trampoline!

The Happy Birthday Jesus party Friday was a blast - it dried off enough for the children to play outside and the hostess did an amazing job with the cake and cupcakes - see pictures below! I was a great time of play, celebration and fellowship!

Henderson loves to crawl into the playroom and look out the window - it's so sweet!

Happy Birthday Jesus party!

Story time!!!

While Visions of Sugar Plums danced in my head.....

All worn out!

My parents are coming today to keep the children for a couple days while Will and I work and I can't wait - it's always great to have a few more hands around!

Merry CHRISTmas Ya'll!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

photo from http://www.lynnweldon.com/

Happy Birthday Jesus! We are going to a friends' house today for a Happy Birthday Jesus party - the children are doing a great job of remembering the Reason for the Season! Wilson even has a newfound love for baby dolls lately and goes into Emma Claire's room often and gets her life-size doll and carries it around - it's nearly as big as he is. The other day I found him (during his nap time) going into his sister's room (while she was sleeping) to take the baby doll from her into his room. He's such a little stinker. The focus today will be celebrating Jesus' birth and the children can't wait to sing "Happy Birthday" and blow out candles!

In other news, Henderson is officially crawling - he crawled all the way out of his room and down the hall into the playroom last night. He gets hung up on his clothes sometimes, but with the warmer weather we've been having, I'm able to let him wear onesies or just a diaper some and he gets around just fine! Time to keep the gate to the stairs closed! Thank goodness Wilson can't open it on his own!

It's been a great week - much slower than last week. Today is busy with the Happy Birthday Jesus party and then Will and I have our SS party tonight that I'm very much looking forward to! Tomorrow is a birthday party and then that's it besides church twice on Sunday. We've begun the countdown to Christmas at our house and the excitment is nearly too much to handle!

How did God....

We spent the afternoon at my sister-in-law, Ellen's house letting the children play and enjoy this unseasonably warm weather. On the way home tonight Emma Claire asked some deep questions. It went something like this:

EC: Why can't we see God?

Me: Well, b/c God lives in heaven on His throne with Jesus

EC: How did he get there?

Me: Well, how did God come here on earth? (I often try to answer her questions with a question to get her thinking)

EC: as a baby, baby Jesus!

Me: Yes, and then he lived a perfect life with no sin...

EC: and then he died on the cross and rose again!

Me: Yes, and then he stayed around for awhile and then he went up to heaven

EC: did he jump on a pogo stick and jump really high all the way to heaven?

Me: Well, I don't think they had pogo sticks way back then, but yes, something like that!

{I did not even know the child knew what a pogo stick was}

Oh, the minds of children! To have faith like a child!

I hope ya'll are having a Merry CHRISTmas season!

Christmas Comes Alive!

To start the weekend, we attended Emma Claire's gymnastics program....it was.... well, CUTE - let me just say this, Wilson headed out onto the floor and participated and nobody was the wiser. Sixty some odd preschoolers with hoola hoops and candy canes- not very organized, but super-cute! We then ate dinner with friends at Taco Casa and drove to Gordo for "Christmas Comes Alive". It's a hayride through the Christmas story. At one point we got off the wagon and walked into a barn where there were REAL animals - sheep, goats, donkey, dog - the children loved it and we climbed up on top of hay bales and listened to carolers and the Christmas Story while watching Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus. I highly recommend this every year. We, as a family will make it a tradition - fun, quality time, portraying the TRUE meaning of the season! Wilson never said a word the whole time, he was so in awe! Such fun!

Emma Claire with her "best buds"!

Yesterday we went to a friends house for a Christmas party and look who made an appearance! We weren't sure how Wilson would act towards the big man, but he actually sat and talked to him - maybe this is a step closer to touching Big Al! I was able to get a picture (1 out of 6) with all 3 children looking at me! It was a sweet party - the children played and made an ornament and had cookies!

At this point, right when Santa walked in the door, Wilson just looked at him, then laughed hysterically!

Emma Claire, of course, wanted to be front and center at all times - she isn't afraid of anyone!

Henderson had a good time with some "new" toys!

I told the children that Santa was coming and when we drove up, this was outside and they thought this was "it" - funny how they would have been satisfied with just this! Wilson didn't want to come inside b/c he wanted to stay with Santa. Maybe there's a lesson to be learned in that - God has much better things awaiting us, if we'll just "come inside" and see!

Saturday afternoon we attended our church's Christmas Program - it was FABULOUS! Emma Claire and Patton attended and did great!

All in All a BUSY weekend, but filled with fun, meaningful, family activities! Oh, and we also ALL attended the Alabama basketball game Saturday night - it was a disappointing loss, but we had a great time!

Christmas Happy

A certain little Stinker surprised me with a Christmas Happy today. I didn't check the mail b/c it was raining all day and then we went to Will's work party. When we got home, at about 8:30, I was exhausted and got the children and myself ready for bed and hit the sack...or so I thought. Will came in the room holding this package and I squealed with delight! I just KNEW!!!! I couldn't believe she selected ME!!!! The outfit is perfect - "Good Things Come In Small Packages" - and with our recent - "small boys" struggles - it just made my day. And she even remembered my other two with stickers - she must know children and how they get giddy over stickers!!!!! Thanks Becky!

We were forcasted to get SNOW today, but since that never happened, I decided to dress the children sans Christmas colors and go with snowmen for the Christmas Party!

Henderson doesn't have a snowman outfit, so he got to go in traditional Christmas attire!

My hands are FULL

They are all just "itching" to get into the presents!

But WHY can't I open it????

Henderson says, "I'm TRYING to get to the presents, mommy!"

This picture is from the Choir Program Sunday night - look on the second row behind Emma Claire and you will see her cousin Patton - they had just walked up onto the stage and he and the other boy had their hands on their ears b/c they thought the music was too loud - it was hilarious!

After school today, Emma Claire and I made our own Christmas Happy's for the childrens' classmates - I had a great helper! Maybe I have an INKLING of creativity in me!!!

Again, you're seeing finished product first, b/c I forget that blogger reverses the pictures!

Another hands over ears picture!

The patient 4 and 5 year olds, waiting to perform!

I've been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Rachel.


8 TV shows I watch:

(some of these I love, but b/c of recent convictions concerning some content, I have been watching them less and less)



1. Grey's Anatomy



2. Desperate Housewives



3. The Biggest Loser



4. Days of Our Lives



5. American Idol



6. House



7. Jon and Kate plus 8 (when I remember)



8. The Duggars



8 Favorite Restaurants:



1. Chic-Fil-A



2. Chuck's Fish



3. DePalma's



4. Outback



5. City Cafe



6. Cypress Inn



7. Taco Casa



8. Ruth's Chris



8 Things that happened this week:



1. Came back to work from 9:00 pm until 11:30 pm for a Christmas Open House last night, then back to work at 7:00 am this morning!!!!



2. Went to 2 doctor's appointments with my children



3. Got my Christmas present (a coat I ordered online) in the mail!



4. Helped teach 3-year old choir



5. Watched Emma Claire perform in her Christmas program at church



6. Cheered on the TIDE in the SEC championship (so sad we lost)



7. Prayed for my youngest child to wake up in the night to eat!



8. Bought small presents for my children to give to their teachers and friends at school



8 Things I look forward to:



1. Heaven



2. A house that stays clean more than 30 minutes



3. Christmas Eve and morning



4. A vacation with my husband



5. Spending time with our families over the holidays



6. Watching my children play and laugh together



7. Checking the mail for more Christmas Cards/Greetings



8. A busy but fun-filled weekend of gymnastics recitals, church programs, hay rides, basketball games, birthday parties and neighborhood parties!



8 Things I wish for/pray for:



1. A vacation with my husband



2. To be more others-focused



3. For my children to come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ



4. A housekeeper (or more time and energy to do it myself)



5. For my children to see each other as their "bestest" friends



6. For the health of my family



7. For my children to love others with a Christ-like love



8. For my dad to find a job again and my sister to find a job and move to Tuscaloosa (and hopefully get married)!



8 people I tag:



1. Katie



3. Becky



4. Lindsey



5. Tara



6. Abby



7. Darby



8. Andi