a very merry christmas

Christmas was especially magical this year thanks to the girls. We celebrated at our home with Omi K, Inken and Andrew. We attended the Childrens Service on Christmas Eve. I will always remember singing Silent Night as the lights were dimmed and the candles were lit and looking down the pew at my two girls in loved ones arms - their eyes wide with wonder. On Christmas morning I carried my girls down the stairs and again their eyes filled with wonder as they spotted all of the presents around the tree. Although they were too young to really understand it this year, they definitely enjoyed themselves. They loved ripping the wrapping paper and would have been content to play with (and eat) paper all day long. They must have been good this year because they received a ton of presents - among their favorites were their Pottery Barn chairs from Granny & Papa Gene (they love climbing on them and looking out the window), their play kitchen from Aunt Inken and Uncle Andy, and their dolls and superhero capes from Santa. I loved spending the day at home with my family

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas ...

This weekend was filled with activities that got us in the holiday spirit. On Saturday morning the girls got to meet Santa for the first time, at Breakfast with Santa at Joseph Beth Bookstore. They both sat on his lap and for the first 30 seconds they were both mesmerized by his long white beard. Once Kenzie had given him a once over she decided she wasn't too sure about this big guy with a white beard and started to cry. Lexi on the other hand was in awe, she just kept staring at Santa and even held on to his beard when I tried to lift her out of his lap. Later that afternoon we went and picked out our Christmas tree. Once we were home, the girls were drawn to the back door to watch Daddy set up the tree in the tree strand and string the lights on the back porch.

On Sunday morning we woke up to snow. We listened to Christmas music, enjoyed some hot chocolate and decorated the Christmas tree together as a family. The girls were very curious about what this tree was doing in our living room. Later in the afternoon the snow started to fall again and we decided to let the girls "play" in the snow for the first time. Once again, the girls' demonstrated just how different they are. Lexi was very curious about the whole experience ... touching the snow and looking up at the sky at the falling flakes. Kenzie on the other hand was miserable and wanted nothing to do with the snow ... I don't know if it was the cold, the wet, or the brightness but she was clearly not having it and screamed the entire time we were outside.

Despite Kenzie's dislike of the snow, and the fact that the girls (and entire family) are still dealing with a stubborn cold, we had a wonderful weekend and really got into the Christmas spirit. Christmas is going to be so magical this year. I can't wait to witness Kenzie and Lexi's reactions!

9 months old!

Wow, you are 9 months old! Time is flying by and you are both growing up way too fast. The past two months were so much fun. Lots of fun outside enjoying the fall weather, visits from Opa, “Aunt” Becky, Granny, and Omi K. Trips to the pumpkin patch, farmers market, the zoo and New Orleans. I continue to love watching your personalities emerge and change day by day. Since I have been back at work I have really started to cherish and make the most of every minute that we have together. You are both so precious and bring so much joy to our family!

Kenzie – You are 28 inches tall (60th percentile) and weigh 18 lbs 11oz (50th percentile). You were reluctant to start crawling. For months you would move backwards and in circles, then you got to a point where you would get onto your hands and knees and rock back and forth with such intent, growing frustrated that you weren’t able to move. Until one day, you GOT IT! You went straight to crawling up on all fours. You are also a very good stander and like to lean against furniture without using your hands. You are great at pulling yourself up on anything … at first sitting back down was a challenge, but now you have that mastered as well. You are still very vocal and LOUD… You love to clap and “make music” with any object. Your favorite thing to do is to take things out …. Books out of the bookcase, toys out of the toy basket, laundry out of the laundry basket, trash out of the waste basket. You love books and will spend hours each day taking books out, flipping through them … and occasionally snacking on them J You have become a very picky eater … you seem to rotate what you will ‘tolerate’ on a weekly basis … first it had to be fruit, now you are more of a meat & veggies girl. You are a happy and giggly girl … you love being tickled and giggle in delight!

Lexi – You are 28 inches tall (60th percentile) and weigh 19 lbs 4oz (60th percentile). You had been “army” crawling on your belly for months, but it wasn’t until after your sister started crawling up on all fours that you followed suit … immediately. It was like, “Oh, that’s how it’s supposed to be done? I can do that!” You are also starting to cruise around the furniture. While you aren’t always as confident in standing as your sister is, you seem closer to walking and do a very good job with your dinosaur push toy. You continue to be our inquisitive one … you study toys like a scientist as if you are pondering what they are made of and searching for new uses. You are a great eater and will eat whatever is offered to you, although you are becoming much more interested in feeding yourself and will fuss immediately once you have finished your finger foods. You never seem to sit still … with the exception being during our bedtime ritual. Every evening after your baths we put on your pj’s, lay you down side by side on the floor of your nursery on your boppy pillows and read you “Counting Kisses” while giving you kisses as they do in the book. You can be squirming like crazy, but as soon as that book comes out you settle down with your arms at your side and listen intently to the story, perfectly still. It is so sweet! You are so sweet!

I love you both so much … I can’t believe you have now spent as much time outside of my belly as you did growing inside of my belly. I have loved every moment, inside and out … I think I’ll keep you both :)