Winter Wonderland

This was Lucille's first time playing in the snow with Daddy and Finn.  She seemed to really like it but also seemed a little unsure.  She loves to stand at our sliding glass door yelling and pounding on it while Finn is outside playing.  Finn has been doing a great job clearing the deck with his shovel. 

Christmas Day, Christmas #3

 My Mom and Lucie

 Finn and his badly wanted "lego white house with a basketball hoop".

 

 Lucie receiving her first American Doll, a bitty baby.  I adore the look on her face.

Finn even got a present from Zoey!

I heard them!

 "I heard them, Mommy!" "I did, I heard their footprints on the roof!"  I woke up to this being said as a little body propelled past our room Christmas morning.  I grabbed him before he could go down the stairs and we were able to retrieve his baby sister before heading down for our first Christmas morning with two children.  I have to say that being a Mommy at Christmas is as magical as being a child at Christmas, well almost.  Watching his excitement was so much fun.  Finn received his green bike and stinky the garbage truck.  Lucie got her baby stroller and some sippe cups like her big brothers. While we were looking at what Santa left, I started our "Sally rolls" (most people call these monkey bread, my family calls them after my Aunt Sally, because the recipe came from her).  The rolls errupted all over the place so we almost had a fire and the house filled with smoke which made for an interesting morning.  We then all looked in our stockings (Brian and I also exchange).  After eating our breakfast or what was salvaged of it, we headed to my parent's house for Christmas Day.

Getting Ready.....

 Finn decided that Santa must get sick of milk so he decided to leave him cookies and Sprite.

Can't forget the reindeer's carrot!

 Putting out the reindeer food.  (Oatmeal and sprinkles or glitter to attract the reindeer)

Lucie is ready!

Birthday Cake for a special baby

 Each year on Christmas Eve we have a birthday party for Baby Jesus complete with birthday cake, noise makers and candles.  We read the story of Baby Jesus, played with our Nativity toy and reread What God Wants for Christmas for the 50th time this season. 

 Lucie is happy she is getting a break from playing baby Jesus.  One of Finn's favorite games this month has been creating a manger and forcing his baby sister to lie in it swaddled.  The problem being that 10 month olds do not very much enjoy lying swaddled in a manger. 

Finn thought his new reindeer toy should be in on the party fun.  I am hopeful that by stressing that Christmas is the birthday of Christ will help our children remember the true reason for Christmas and not just focus on the presents.

Christmas Eve, Christmas #2

We had our Christmas on Christmas Eve.  It was wonderful having Christmas with two children watching them interact.  Lucie loved the baby Finn gave her and Finn loved the blanket Mommy had made him.  Merry Christmas!

Christmas #1

 This is the best I could do for a picture in their Christmas outfits, Lucie really liked the taste of her dress. 

 Finn and Grandma B.

Finn loved his new guitar from Uncle Scott.

Playing Tracks

For the last three years this is what my living room has looked liked.  He has gone from telling us he is "making big rounds" to "playing tracks".  He told me today that when he is big he is going to drive a train.  I know I will someday miss seeing these tracks so I will just enjoy them for now.

Happy Birthday Baby Jesus

They celebrated a birthday party for baby Jesus at Finn's preschool.  We always have our own baby Jesus party on Christmas Eve so Finn was especially excited to carry on this tradition at school.  We made these reindeer cupcakes for the party.  They were very easy and I was happy with how they turned out.  The children sang Christmas carols after they ate and I was impressed with how many they knew.  The only sad part was that Daddy and Lucie had to stay at home due to the chicken pox. 

So Big!

 We had a lot of time at home while quarantined with chickenpox.  It was hard to be shut in for so long, I think we all had a little cabin fever.  One the other hand, it was kind of nice to have so much one on one time with my babies without having to run all over the place.  We were able to work on lots of projects, one of which was teaching Lucie "So Big".  She loves to show off her trick and does it constantly, so cute.

 Finn teaching her.

All that work was exhausting.

The Pox

Our poor little Miss Lucie has got the pox and right in time for Christmas.  She handled it like a trooper and has still been a very good baby through it all.  To make it even worse she had an ear infection too.