Monday, December 28, 2015

Christmas 2015

I love Christmas! It's crazy how you spend so much time and excitement leading up to the day, then it's over in a blink of the eye!  Christmas eve is my favorite tradition.  As a kid, we would go to my Nana and Papa's house for a huge dinner, usually lamb!  All of my mom's sisters and their families would be there. I loved it.  Now that our families have all grown, it's usually just my brother, parents and my family ~ sometimes my aunts and cousins that live here in Greensboro.

Also, Claire and I have gone to get our nail painted for the past three years! Love this tradition!


Christmas Eve dinner at my parent's house ~
Kate's first Christmas!

Payne twins (Landyn and Brooke ~ 4), Kate, Fredrick twins (Max and Claire ~ 4 ~ five in Jan.)

In matching pjs, we read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

I was just as excited as they were about Christmas morning! After wrapping all the Santa presents, Claire woke up around 11 asking if Santa had come... then went to lay down with her until around 12, Kate was up at 3, and then again at 5:45 when Claire woke up again.... so we went to see what Santa had brought at 6am! It was a long day, but I loved every minute!



....and just realized the rest of my pics haven't been uploaded to my icloud yet ~ so post 2 coming soon!

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Kate ~ 7 months

My little Punky punk is 7 (and 9 days) months old! This year is flying by and it makes me so sad.... Seven months is one of my favorite months! She can sit unassisted, only falling every now and then, laughs, interacts with us, and isn't too mobile!


Kate loves:
Mommy!
Laughing at Max and Claire
Smiling at Daddy
Baths
Chewing on everything
Jumping in her jumparoo/exersaucer things
The wheels on the bus song


Sleep: still a work in progress.  She still wakes up every 3-4 hrs at night.  We have tried CIO a few times, but end up caving.  She gets mad if I try to give her her paci (which she can do herself). She just wants to nurse.  She is a good napper.  If she had a day without interruptions she would take 3 naps.  Usually she takes two, lasting around 2 hours.

Eating: She is exclusively breast fed.  I am so proud of us!  I am trying to give her more baby food. She still loves carrots and sweet potatoes.  I tried giving her big people sweet potato and avocado and she wasn't sure about it! BUT always wants what we are eating.  I have given her a piece of bread and she loved that... go figure!


Play: She loves baths!  I still have her in her baby tub.  After I finish washing her, I tell her to kick her feet and she goes to town!  It is so cute!  She loves her exersaucer, especially jumping in it. She is loving the freedom of being on a big blanket - and even more so when big bro and sis aren't here to mess with her.  She can sit for a pretty long time.  If on her tummy, she can make her way to where she wants to go.  Kind of an army crawl and roll to what she wants... very determined!

She is still a little peanut! She wears a lot of 3-6 months still, but i have been buying 9 month footed pjs. size 2 diapers

Love this sweet girl so much.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Second Cousins

Last weekend, my mom, Kate and I took a road trip to Virginia to visit my aunt, cousin and her baby. Kate and Ann Grace are seven weeks apart and are so cute together.  We took a ton of pics, did some crafts, played and just had a great time!



Kate did a great job sitting up all weekend.  I think it has to do with two four year olds not messing with her and she had all the attention!

We brought the big camera out and took Christmas pics of Ann Grace and Kate put on her Christmas dress to join in.


Making mistletoes!

And Kate turned seven months on the fourth! post to follow!

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Thanksgiving and Christmas trees

Last week we spent four days in Atlanta with Justin's family.  I really enjoy Thanksgiving there and going with them to get their tree the day after Thanksgiving.  We had a nice lunch - even Kate tried a few bites!






We have gone to the same tree farm for three years.  It has a fun area for kids and always makes for good Christmas card pictures!